


Shop Assistant Tsuna

by CathyRin



Series: Many Verses of Tsuna [5]
Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!, xxxHoLic
Genre: Gen, M/M, Many Verses of Tsuna, Mystery, Tsuna works for Watanuki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-17
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-11-15 04:49:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11223675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CathyRin/pseuds/CathyRin
Summary: Part of the Many Verses of Tsuna.Sawada Tsunayoshi was an enigma, a person that Reborn knew would hold the answers to the questions that he has been piling up since being assigned as Yoshimitsu’s tutor. Upon meeting Tsuna that one summer, he had warned him once, and only once, “The answers that you seek is something only meant for the ears of someone who can afford them.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The first time Reborn had met Tsuna was when he had to stay in Namimori for the summer to continue the training of the future Vongola Decimo, Sawada Yoshimitsu.

Ever since he was eight, Yoshimitsu, or Mitsu, had been living in Italy after being whisked away by his father, Sawada Iemitsu. It had caused a rift between husband and wife that almost went as far as divorce, but for the sake of him and his older brother Tsuna, the two had agreed to keep the marriage intact, but their civil cohabitation was never going to happen anymore.

Their agreement was that Yoshimitsu would stay in Japan to study along with his home tutor, Reborn, and he would go to Italy during summer vacations, no negotiations accepted.

So when Yoshimitsu was asked to stay in Namimori for the summer because of the issue concerning Xanxus, Reborn was also obligated to stay in Namimori to continue his mafia education.

That was when he met the mysterious Sawada Tsunayoshi who had gone home for the summer from his studies and work in Tokyo.

…

“I’m home!” Tsuna had announced at the genkan with a smile.

As soon as he said that, his mother came rushing to the genkan, spatula in hand with a bright smile on her face. “Tsu-kun!” she said with glee as she engulfed her son in a tight embrace.

“M-Mom! I can’t breathe properly…” Tsuna replied as he returned the embrace anyway. When the woman released him, he looked down to see that the genkan had a lot of pairs of shoes. “I noticed we have some extra shoes here. Do we have guests?” Tsuna asked her.

Nana merely smiled and shook her head, “Mitsu-kun’s staying here at the last minute, and his home tutor is here for the summer!” she informed. Her youngest son had told her not to mention anything to Tsuna about him staying for the summer to surprise him, and it seems like it was working.

Tsuna’s eyes widened, “Mitsu is home this summer? I thought Iemitsu always takes him to Italy during the summer?”

“Something came up, and he was unable to go.” His mother replied, but Tsuna knew that there was more to the story than his mother let on. Unfortunately, being an individual who respects privacy, he decided not to pry.

With a nod, Tsuna looked behind Nana to see no one following her, “Where are they?”

With a giggle, Nana replied as she led her son to the dining table along with his luggage. “They’re running around the nearby park right now, but they will be back in a while in time for lunch.”

At the mention of lunch, Tsuna seemed to brighten, “Then, shall I help?”

His mother shook her head and pointed the spatula at him, “No. You just came back, and I’m almost done anyways. You have free reign of the kitchen at dinner. I can’t wait to see how your cooking skills evolved this year. Watanuki-san is doing wonders to you,”

“Oh, speaking of Watanuki-san,” Tsuna said as he rummaged his carefully placed luggage and took out a four-tier bento wrapped in an elegant white cloth with chrysanthemum flowers, “Here. Watanuki-san told me to give these to you as a treat. We can have this for tea later, and since Mitsu and his tutor are here, I’ll just make more if it’s not enough,”

“Ah, Watanuki-san’s famous Mokona red bean manju?” she guessed.

“He also sent along some tea to go with it.”

“Wonderful! Mitsu is never home to eat the things that you and Watanuki-san make. It will be a new experience since your skills are way better than mine when it comes to cooking.” She complimented.

At his mother’s words, Tsuna deigned it right to refute her statement, “Nonsense! Your cooking is as good as ours! It’s just…Watanuki-san’s scope of cooking is broader than yours.” He then took the rest of his luggage in his hands, “I’ll go on up to unpack and get dressed into more normal clothes. Tell Mitsu that I’m here when he and his tutor gets back,”

“Do you want to take a bath afterwards?” Nana asked.

“I can take care of that,” Tsuna assured the woman and made a beeline to his room upstairs.

Nana returned to the kitchen to finish her preparation for lunch.

Fifteen minutes later, Reborn and Yoshimitsu returned with her son dead tired from all the running he did. “We’re…hah…h-home…!” she heard her son announce at the genkan as he took off his shoes.

“Welcome home!” Nana replied to her son.

Mitsu appeared at the kitchen with Reborn on his shoulder as usual, his brownish blond hair matted with sweat as he went to his mother. “Mom, do we have a visitor? There’s an extra pair of shoes here…”

“Not a guest dear!” Nana replied with glee. “Tsu-kun arrived fifteen minutes ago!”

At the words of his mother, Mitsu’s brown eyes brightened as he stood on the balls of his feet with glee, much to Reborn’s surprise. “Really? Nii-san is back?”

Nana smiled and nodded. Growing up, the twins had a rocky relationship up until ten years ago, when she and Mitsu almost lost Tsuna to a mafia-related incident. His hospitalization had awakened Mitsu’s dormant twin brother instinct, and since then, the two had been closer and cannot be separated for long.

Until five years ago when Tsuna had to leave for Tokyo because of his school and his part-time job.

Since then, the two would only see each other physically for a few hours a year. Tsuna would go home to Namimori during summer, while Mitsu would go to Italy, and when school comes along, Tsuna would return to Tokyo and Mitsu to Namimori. They could only spend time with each other for less than twenty-four hours a year. Not even the home tutor of her youngest has ever seen her eldest, and Nana had preferred it that way until now.

“He’s upstairs unpacking. He’ll be down for lunch, so take a shower and fix yourself~!” she said as she ushered her youngest upstairs to his bedroom to get ready for lunch.

…

“Why are you feeling so giddy?” Reborn asked him when they got to his bedroom.

“Well…” Mitsu started as he took off his sweaty clothes, “Nii-san and I rarely see each other, and when we do, it would be only a few hours a year in this house because he had to leave for Tokyo,” he explained, “He’s only here during summer vacation, which is conveniently the time when I am bound to get back to Italy for you to teach.”

Reborn raised a brow at that, “Why does he go to a school in Tokyo instead of here?”

“It has something to do with a debt.” With a sigh, Mitsu went to his bathroom, with the door open so that Reborn could hear his explanation as he took a shower, “Mom incurred the debt to a shopkeeper and the price involves Nii-san. That debt started to be collected when we turned eleven.” Mitsu reached for the shower head and turned it on as he continued, “Unfortunately, the former shopkeeper died a few years ago, but the new owner had sent his friend, Doumeki-san, at our house to pick him up to collect the debt and to take care of his transfer papers in a new school since the shop is located in Tokyo. After that, Nii-san only had a few months to spend with us before we parted ways after summer of that year.” He stated, “He’s pretty good in school work now, and his scholarship proves it.”

When Mitsu turned silent, Reborn knew that he was too distracted to speak and take a shower altogether, but it did give Reborn enough time to take in the information that his student knew about his older brother. _‘Sawada Tsunayoshi should have been the first candidate to consider. Why was he bypassed? Did Iemitsu really think about this clearly? Only one way to find out…’_ he thought.

“This brother of yours, what is he like?” Reborn asked when Mitsu came out of the shower.

“Hm? He’s a good cook. He’s already surpassed Mom since Watanuki-san—that’s his boss—taught him. His cooking skills are levels higher than Mom. Nii-san goes to this exclusive school…I think it was Clamp Gakuen…yeah, that’s the one.” Mitsu reached for his clothes in the closet as he continued. “He’s also a member of a culinary research club and…oh, he’s the only errand boy of Watanuki-san apart from Doumeki-san.”

“How old is the shopkeeper?” Reborn wondered.

“Nii-san said he’s already twenty-seven, but I beg to differ. The picture of him he sent me recently looked like he’s nowhere near above twenty. But since Doumeki-san and he went to school together, I figured he was just baby-faced.” Mitsu explained.

“That’s all you know?”

Mitsu nodded as he got dressed. “Nii-san said that if I asked any more questions about the shop, I will have to ‘pay the price’ so to speak.”

Reborn didn’t like the sound of that. Usually when one says that, the price is usually the life of the asker. “A bit threatening, don’t you think? What does the shop this Watanuki person sell anyway?”

At that, Mitsu stopped. “Hm…Nii-san said it’s more of a bartering kind of shop. You give them something of equal value of what you want from the shop. No more, no less. He said that there are a lot of stuff there that he has never seen before. Rare stuff, mind you, most of them were leaning on the folklore rare.”

“You mean ancient stuff?”

The boy shook his head, “More on family heirlooms and relics.” He then stopped and looked at Reborn, “Why the sudden interest, Reborn?”

Reborn sighed, “Maybe because he is rarely mentioned. Iemitsu does not even talk about him that much, and up to this day, I still wonder why.”

Mitsu rolled his eyes at the information, “Maybe because Nii-san actually _despises_ Dad. He’s made it known ever since we found out that he was in the mafia and never bothered telling Mom before they even married.” Mitsu as well, didn’t mask the fact that he was a bit displeased about his Dad, but not so much as his older brother who actually acts like his name is poison in the family. After all, his bloodline was the reason Mitsu was slated to become the next boss of one of the most powerful mafia families.

He didn’t really have a choice in the matter, considering that he knew that there was a reason why Tsuna was bypassed as an heir. That was a subject that Mitsu didn’t need or want to revisit at all.

Shaking his head, Mitsu sighed and turned to the door, “Come on, let’s head to the kitchen.”

“I’ll be down in a moment. You go ahead.” Reborn replied. Mitsu didn’t ask why, and simply proceeded to get down the stairs.

Reborn, now alone in the room, had time to think things through. Taking out a pen and paper, he wrote down the questions about Tsuna that he needed answered.

_Why is Tsuna paying for the debt of Maman?_

_What kind of payment does it entail?_

_‘Pay the Price.’ Is it threatening, or literal? If so, what kind of price?_

_What is the name of the shop Tsuna works in?_

_What does it sell? (I don’t believe it’s simply a barter store. Monetary needs of the shop need to be put in question.)_

_Find out more about Watanuki, Tsuna’s employer. Seems suspicious._

_Could they be related to the mafia?_

As he continued with the list, he didn’t realize something outside Mitsu’s window observing him from afar.

…

At another part of the room, one Sawada Tsunayoshi sighed as he felt the presence of his brother leave the bedroom. Tsuna didn’t need to be psychic to know that Reborn, his little brother’s home tutor, was already trying to find out more about him, the twin of the future Decimo. He knew that the Arcobaleno would be more than eager to know what he is hiding, but for now, Tsuna had to conceal himself.

As if that was the case.

Tsuna also knew that whatever Reborn would find out in the future, his paternal DNA provider would catch wind of it as well.  

Sighing, he returned to unpacking, all the while, sending a messenger courtesy of Watanuki to watch the hitman undetected.

…

“Welcome home Nii-san!” Mitsu’s voice was laced with happiness as he greeted him when he went down to the dining room when Nana had called him from the bathroom while he was soaking in the tub.

“Glad to see you actually here hours after I arrived.” Tsuna said with an amused smile. He then took notice of a baby clad in a suit and fedora with big beady black eyes and a smile that seemed to be plastered in his face. “Hm? Who’s this little guy? Are you babysitting for the day, Mitsu?”

Mitsu shook his head, even though he wanted to keep Reborn being his tutor a secret.

“I’m his home tutor, Reborn,” the hitman blurted out instantly.

“Huh?” Tsuna said with his eyes blinking. “A kid?” he asked once more and tilted his head to the side.

Mitsu sighed. He expected his older brother to have this kind of reaction, “Yes, Grandfather sent him to tutor me.”

In a split second, a sort of acknowledgment came to Tsuna. “Ah, I see. At first I thought he was teaching you academics.” He said as he proceeded to sit on his place in the table. “So when I heard you say Timoteo-san, it seemed obvious enough.”

Reborn looked at Tsuna and then at Mitsu. “You mentioned something about me?”

Tsuna chuckled. “No.” that caught his attention immediately, “Looking at Mitsu’s face when we video call as reference made me think that your world is utterly mysterious. I’m quite fine being blissfully unaware about the inner workings of the mafia and the fact that they hire an intelligent baby to train a fourteen year-old to be a mafia boss.” He explained. “I learned never to ask questions about things that are not meant for me to know.”

Reborn’s eyes sharpened, alert at the perceptive yet mysterious boy.

Mitsu sighed, “There you go again, being all respectful. Really, Nii-san, what has Watanuki-san been teaching you?” he wondered.

Tsuna smiled as he leaned on his brother, “Well, apart from life lessons, he’s been teaching me to make a feast fit for the gods.” he said with a wink.

His little brother’s eyes widened at the prospect of a feast by the hands of his older brother that they were about the size of saucers. “Really?!” he asked with glee.

The older twin simply smiled and nodded. “I can make a venerable feast that could feed an army, so be sure to invite your friends at dinner one time while I’m here!” At the thought of his friends, he suddenly froze, much to the wonder of Tsuna. “Mitsu?”

…

“So Reborn-san,” Tsuna addressed the hitman, “How long will Mitsu be here? Will it take the whole summer?” he wondered.

Reborn observed the boy carefully before answering promptly, “Depending on how the situation back in Italy will go, Mitsu will stay here as long as it is possible.” He informed.

“Oh, good then,” Tsuna said with a smile. “I’m planning to spend my summer immersed with my culinary research, and I would very much like for the two of you to be my test subjects, if you’re available.” He informed, eyeing his little brother who was obviously drooling at the thought of his cooking.

Reborn noticed it too, which earned a raised brow from the hitman. “Hey, Baka-Mitsu, snap out of it.” He called out.

Tsuna laughed at the reaction of his little brother. “Don’t worry Reborn-san, he’ll snap out of it in a second when he realizes that he’s the only one missing out on Watanuki-san’s Mokona manju.”

After that, Mitsu got to his senses and for the entire afternoon, Reborn could only hear about him praising the cooking of Tsuna’s boss and Tsuna himself.

…

When five in the afternoon came, Tsuna all but shooed them out of the kitchen, even his mother, saying that he doesn’t want any interruption from them until dinner. In the middle of cooking dinner, however, Reborn heard a very peculiar conversation on the phone. Reborn saw Tsuna digging his pockets until he found his Bluetooth headset and answered his phone wirelessly.

“Doumeki-san. How is everything there?” Tsuna said on the phone. A few seconds later, he laughed. “There Mokona goes again causing trouble to Watanuki-san. Didn’t I leave him five bottles of the sake he wanted? What? Already?” he said as he continued his cooking. “I’ve only been gone less than twenty-four hours!”

“Who’s the customer?” he wondered. “Oh. This is quite similar with Kohane-san, isn’t it?”

Suddenly, Reborn heard Tsuna drop his ladle on the counter. “Hie?! Doumeki-san! You should be more careful!” he lectured. “Since this is also involving a murder case, I think it’s best to assume that it has something to do with that.” He stated. “We’re not above seeing the Yuurei, so what else is new?”

Yuurei? Ghosts? What is Tsuna talking about?

“For now, I think you should investigate the place. Where is it? Eh? Here?!” Tsuna muttered. “I’m supposed to be on break with the legwork…” he sulked. “Okay. I’ll check it out myself and I’ll contact you at the end of my investigation.” He bid and cut the call.

Reborn didn’t hear anything else from Tsuna in the kitchen after that until dinner, when Tsuna had relayed to his mother that there was an errand from Watanuki that he needed to do while in Namimori.

…

He was going to burn the reports that was sent to him about Tsuna.

None of those notes were helpful or in any ways accurate except for the fact that Tsuna now lives in Tokyo for most of the year. His performance in school was also not included. He was going to kill Iemitsu for his negligence in gathering information about his son where it mattered. He will have to ask Tsuna the questions, as much as he’d like to just go and spy on him. If he really does have the Vongola blood in him, then spying would be something that would fail not a second too soon. He had gotten information from his conversation with Mitsu the day Tsuna arrived, but he really needed to know straight from Tsuna about himself.

Thankfully, Tsuna was all for agreeing to talk with him when Nana dragged Mitsu for an errand the next day.

Tsuna sat on the living room table and looked at Reborn who was sitting on it with his usual baby armchair just across from him. “So, Reborn, what do you want to talk about?”

Reborn knew that he had to careful with his words towards the older brother. To him, he was an unknown variable that had been discredited for too long. He might be dangerous in the future, and he was not going to single that possibility out even if he is the heir’s older brother. “I’d like to just get things over with the information about you. Your file is…outdated, and it would not do if we are to ensure that your entire family will be protected by us should something happen. It’s better if I get it straight from you instead of others. It proved unreliable in the past.”

That made Tsuna tilt his head to the side a bit. “Well, if you put it that way, then I’ll agree, as long as it doesn’t cross certain lines of course.” He conditioned.

“What lines?” Reborn inquired.

“Things like the particulars of my work, the specific names of people I work with and under, my associates, those kinds of details.” He bargained.

“Confidentiality agreements with your employer?” Reborn guessed.

Tsuna nodded, “You can start asking questions now.”

Reborn hated interviewing people, but for the sake of things, he had to do this. “Tell me about your education first.”

Tsuna chuckled and started, “Well, I’m on a scholarship at Clamp Gakuen in Tokyo. I’m the president of the Culinary Research Club there and conduct fundraisers from time to time. I'm also the head of the Festival Planning Committee.” He stated. “I’ve been there since I was eleven, and I live on a dormitory within the school grounds on the weekdays and stay at the shop on the weekends.” He started. “I have friends and classmates whom I can talk to, unlike back here in Namimori where all I could remember from my childhood is being bullied.” He said with a semi-dark look in his eyes. Reborn noted that Tsuna didn’t have a very happy childhood in this town besides spending them with his family minus Iemitsu.

The aura of the boy seems to lighten up after shaking the feeling off though. Reborn continued, “And the reason why you are working for this…Watanuki person? Is it a part of your Confidentiality Agreement?”

With a small smile, Tsuna shifted from his seat, “Well, I can tell you the basics.” He informed. “A few years ago, Mom incurred a debt with the former owner of the shop I work in.”

“So, this is about money?” Reborn asked, wondering how much Sawada Nana owed the former owner to the point of Tsuna working for it.

“No.” Tsuna brushed off. “In exchange for a help that she had given Mom, the moment I turn eleven, I would be working under the shop until the debt is deemed paid in full. Sadly, Yuuko-san, the former shopkeeper, died before that, and Watanuki-san took over. Doumeki-san was sent here to collect the debt. They took care of everything, from my education to my relocation, and the rest is history.”

“A peculiar shop you have there. Mitsu had said before that the shop you work on is not normal in a sense.” Reborn pried a bit.

“No. He’s right.” Tsuna said with a shake of his head, “The shop grants people’s wishes.” He started. Before Reborn could speak, Tsuna elaborated, “It’s nothing like wishing on a shooting star and it will come true and all that. We grant a customer’s wish and we grant it for a price the same as the wish they make. The price varies from items to services, anything if the price is of equal value of the wish that is made. Do you get me so far?”

“I see.” Reborn muttered. “And the reason you work for this…Watanuki person is the product of this shop?” he will have to keep this in mind. It would do no good if he didn’t clarify the reason why Tsuna decided to work for a faceless man because of something that Nana had decided years ago.

Tsuna nodded with a smile. “Exactly.” He stated. “And to be honest, this arrangement is something beneficial for all of us.”

“The reason being?” Reborn pressed on.

“Well, I’m in front of you right now, am I?”

The tone on Tsuna’s voice made Reborn alert. What did he mean by that?

He was about to ask some more when a call interrupted the two of them. Tsuna took one look on his phone and smiled apologetically at Reborn, “I’m sorry, I have to take this call,”

Reborn nodded in understanding. “It’s alright. Let’s conclude this. I have all the necessary information needed anyways.”

With a smile of thanks, Tsuna took the call to the other room, leaving Reborn with everything he needed to know. It wasn’t detailed, but it was enough to get by and respect the boundaries that Tsuna had set.

But it still wasn’t enough to quench his thirst for answers. Rather, it only added more questions about the enigmatic eldest child.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Watanuki Kimihiro sighed as he watched Mokona, Maru and Moro play in the garden to beat the heat of summer. It had been a day since Tsuna left for Namimori, and already, the young teen’s presence was missed in the property. Mokona even downed the bottles of sake that Tsuna bought for him in one go with Doumeki as his drinking partner.

So drawn to the fact that Tsuna was not present, he didn’t notice strong hands creep from behind him and wrapped around his shoulder. A head on his shoulder followed soon after.

“Missing Tsuna already?” Doumeki wondered.

Watanuki frowned at the twenty-seven year-old man hugging him from behind. “Most probably because he doesn’t give me much of a headache like you and Mokona.” He grumbled. “I thought I told you to investigate Fuyumi-san’s case?”

Doumeki retreated from the embrace and decided to settle down on the floor, also watching the three who were now playing with water guns. “I already have. I’m just waiting for Tsuna’s side of the investigation and then we can respond to the client.”

Watanuki smiled at the thought of Tsuna doing extra legwork all the way from Namimori. “I feel bad for him though.” He stated. “I promised him a work-free summer, but now that half of the investigation lies in Namimori, he’d be a bit annoyed at the extra work hours.” He mused.

“It’s not like he’s hated working before. He’ll be fine.” Doumeki assured him.

Watanuki glanced at him, “He’s becoming powerful, isn’t he, Shizuka?”

The other man was silent for a while before he spoke, “If Tsuna slapping Jorongumo when she attempted to use me as collateral for her wish while we were on the job is what you consider powerful then I guess it would be a yes.”

A laugh resonated from Watanuki’s lips, making Doumeki return the smile twofold. Indeed, Watanuki’s youngest errand boy was a thing to behold. Tsunayoshi was a powerful young man, enough to gain the favour of the spirits and refrain from eating him whole while he does the legwork concerning the wishes of the clients. Even the group of karasu tengu who protects Zashikiwarashi were soft on him. It was as if Tsuna had that charm that would entice them to let their guards down, allowing Tsuna to get enough information out of them without resorting to any kind of violence. It was very different from when Watanuki was constantly being followed by the spirits who wanted nothing but to eat him.

As the years passed, the display of Tsuna’s powers were becoming more and more evident, to the point where harming him without cause would bring out the anger from the spirits who had grown attached to the young man.

When Doumeki had first brought in Tsuna when he was eleven, he was anticipating this kind of thing, and Watanuki knew why.

…

**Eight Years Ago**

**_“Watanuki-san,” a boy called the attention of one Watanuki Kimihiro as he was traveling in the Dream World. He turned to see a boy with spiky brown hair and warm caramel eyes looking at him with such purity that it rivaled white Mokona’s color._ **

**_He smiled at the boy, “You know who I am, but I don’t know you.” He stated._ **

**_The boy smiled as he ran towards him and stopped a few meters in front of him with those too-innocent-to-be-legal eyes. “You’ll know me when you wake up! The pretty lady told me that much.” He assured him._ **

**_Pretty lady? Could he be talking about…no…but…_ **

**_“You…could that pretty lady have had long black hair, tall, and wears a pretty kimono?” he wondered._ **

**_The boy tilted his head for a bit, recalling if the lady looked exactly like that. When he saw him nod, he got his answer right away. “Yes! But she said that we won’t be able to meet anymore, and told me to find you in my sleep!”_ **

**_Taken aback by his blunt answer and the last thing he said, he knelt down to face the boy at eye level. “She just…told you to find me in my dreams?” it was so like Yuuko to give simple instructions to people, but to make a child say that he should just_ find _him in the dangerous Dream World…and the child had no idea of the extent of his powers._**

**_“Yes. She said I was a natural in…what did she say…? Exploring my dreams…? Something like that,” he said with a cute sheepish smile as he scratched the back of his head._ **

**_Ah. Now he understood. Watanuki simply smiled and pat his soft brown locks, “Well, if that lady really did tell you that, then I assure you, we would meet soon, right?”_ **

**_“Uh-huh! But she said that I would have to be eleven first before I could see you.”_ **

**_“How old are you?”_ **

**_“Nine!” the boy replied as he held up his hands with nine fingers up._ **

**_With a nod, Watanuki stood and prepared to leave the Dream World. “I will see you in two years, I take it?”_ **

**_With a laugh, the boy turned to run back to wherever he came from, “See you in two years, Watanuki-san!” he bid as he ran._ **

_Watanuki opened his eyes to find himself in his room as usual, and upon recalling the little boy that he had met in his dreams, a flurry of activity had gone on in his head. A headache greeted him a few seconds later, as if he was being hit with Yuuko’s red bat over and over again. With every pang of pain, something entered his mind, information that he needed to know that had been triggered upon meeting the brown haired boy in the Dream World._

_When the pain subsided, he concluded that there was no point in lying in bed staring at the ceiling. He looked at the clock to see that it was barely two in the morning. Standing up, Watanuki made his way to the porch. Maybe the night sky would make him feel sleepy again. If not, then he would just have to deal with taking naps in the afternoon._

_…_

_Watanuki sighed as he blew his pipe, creating a chain of smoke that blended in the night sky._

_“Still up?”_

_Watanuki turned to see Doumeki approaching him, dressed in his night yukata and joined him in front of the garden, gazing up the sky._

_“I just woke up from a dream. A boy, about the age of nine, appeared in my dreams saying that we would meet soon, as Yuuko-san had instructed, to complete the payment of his mother.” He stated._

_Doumeki raised a brow, “A child will pay for the mother’s wish?”_

_“Yes.” Watanuki replied with a solemn face. “As soon as he said that to me, I woke up, and all the things I needed to know came into my mind almost immediately. It was like something was slammed into my head full of information concerning that contract that Yuuko-san had prearranged for me to take care of.”_

_Watanuki learned a lot that for Yuuko to arrange such a thing, she knew that the wish that was granted back then is to be paid when she was no longer around. It was now up to him, her successor, to receive the payment of the boy in the form of service to the shop. He smiled at the irony of that. It was not a coincidence that the boy in his dreams will share the same fate as he did once. It’s inevitable._

_“The good news is, I get another extra set of hands to help out with the shop once the boy turns eleven.” He mused. “Although…I feel bad for him right now,” When Doumeki looked at him, waiting for him to continue, Watanuki turned back at the night sky, “His future has been rewritten because of that single wish. His own fate…now returns in his hands, no longer in the hands of the ones who intend to set a path for him.”_

_“Isn’t that supposed to be a good thing?” Doumeki wondered. “She used to say that you control your own fate. I don’t understand why you feel bad for that.”_

_With a sad smile, he looked back at his companion, “I feel bad because…he doesn’t know what to do with it.” He stated. “For the first time, unlike in other dimensions in which he exists as a person created with force and blind trust…he will have the chance to carve a path for his own without the name of his birthright on his shoulders.”_

_“Then, what’s his name?”_

_“A lucky rope with a penchant for unluckiness that kind of reminds me of Himawari-chan. His name is Sawada Tsunayoshi, residing in a town called Namimori.”_

_…_

“Kimihiro?” Watanuki was taken out of his thoughts by Doumeki, who was looking at him questioningly.

Watanuki simply shook his head and smiled. “It’s nothing, just lost in thought.”

“About Tsuna’s future?” the man guessed.

“Some of it…”

“Kimihiro, you know-“ he was cut off by Watanuki who stood up.

“I’d better get started on dinner preparations.” He declared. “Would you mind watching the three for me?”

Doumeki didn’t want to rile him up, so all he could do was to nod as he watched Watanuki’s back retreating to the house.

Silent he may be, Doumeki knew that the talk about Tsuna’s future was a sensitive one, even for Tsuna, but there was no running about it. Pretty soon, Tsuna would understand why he was the price of the wish that Sawada Nana has made, and when he does, whatever his decision is, no one could ever anticipate. Doumeki just hopes that Watanuki would come to terms with the young man’s decision. After all, there was a reason why Sawada Tsunayoshi was here.  

…

**Namimori**

Tsuna knew that he was being followed the moment he got out of the house and felt the inquisitive stare of the hitman. There was nothing he could do if the hitman would do all he can just to get more information out of him, or to investigate further into the details of his job with the Shop. If he wanted to find answers on his own, then that was fine with him, but Tsuna was not going to make it easy.

After all, there are still secrets that are not meant for their eyes or ears. That would most likely put a wedge in the order of things.

With a sigh, he looked at his current companion, his childhood friend, Hibari Kyouya, as they drove on his motorcycle on the way to Namimori Mountain. Tsuna had called Kyouya the day before and asked for a favor to drive him to the mountain where he needed to be. Of course, the young man agreed and had managed to leave his committee to his right-hand, Tetsuya for the day.

When they arrived at the foot of the mountain, Tsuna dismounted the motorcycle while the other teen parked it somewhere no one would even dare think of stealing it.

“Thanks for the ride, Kyouya,” Tsuna thanked him as he took off his helmet.

The other boy scowled as he eyed the mountain, “Now that we’re here, do indulge me on why you asked me to bring you here? When I got your call yesterday, I knew your business had something to do with this, but I do need the detailed summary of this.”

Tsuna smiled, “For someone so young, you do act like an inquisitive old man.” He joked as he walked towards the mountain path, leaving the other teen no choice but to follow him.

“Just tell me so I know what to do when something tries to eat me whole.”

“Alright,” Tsuna said with a small snicker. “A few hours after I left, it would seem that Watanuki-san got a new client who wished to find and retrieve something that her daughter had on the day she died.” He explained. “The little girl was eight years old when she died on the night of July 23rd, just a day after her birthday.”

At that moment, Kyouya’s brow furrowed, “You don’t mean the Case of Tomonaga Miyuki, don’t you?”

“Exactly.” Tsuna said, “She was found dead leaning on a tree the night after her birthday. Initial reports say that she died of hypothermia, but there were some marks on her that indicated that she was whipped to death before the mountain rainstorm took her life.” He answered. “But there was something odd about how they found her. When she ran away from the house after that, she carried with her a rag doll that she named Fuyu, after her mother, Fuyumi-san, who is the client. When they found her, there was no trace of the doll ever being near her, or the mountain, even.”

Kyouya scowled as he looked around them as they went up the mountain, “Sounds like a horror story rather than a murder case, is it not?” he mused. “What about the culprit who murdered the girl?”

“The culprit was her father’s girlfriend at that time. It would seem that she ran away because her father was an idiot and announced on _her_ birthday that he was going to get married to a woman she detested. She knew that the girl always liked to go to this mountain, so she followed her and when she got there, claimed she saw her conversing with no one.”

“The girl can see.” Kyouya concluded. “Let me guess, when she saw her talking, she was driven in fear and demanded who she was talking to. When she thought she lied about talking to her friends, she got mad and afraid and whipped her?”

It was a sensitive topic for anyone normal, but for Tsuna and Kyouya, such things were something that didn’t faze them anymore. With Tsuna working with Watanuki and Kyouya being the head of a committee and the son of a detective, the two take these kinds of cases in a stride.

“That about sums it up.” Tsuna said. “She ran from her when she has managed to break free of her whipping. That’s when the rain occurred. The woman got out of the mountain, leaving young Miyuki cold, bloody and alone, or so she thought. She was apprehended a week later after she was driven by her conscience and was sentenced for manslaughter, as Miyuki died of hypothermia and not by her whipping. The case was closed, but her mother wanted to find her rag doll as a form of closure for her heart. She couldn’t move on because of her longing.”

“Such a wish must be expensive.” Kyouya muttered.

“It would seem so, but Doumeki-san said she was desperate enough to pay any price just for her to find the rag doll of her daughter. She even sent a picture of it for us to find,” he said as he took out his phone and showed Kyouya the photo of a rag doll with braided black hair and blue dress with lavender patterns, its teardrop-shaped eyes were the color of black. It also had a bonnet that matched the dress, with brown shoes and socks.

“Precious.” The other boy replied. “But how will we find that kind of doll? It’s been five years since the case, and I doubt if someone ever spotted the doll, they would not leave it behind.”

“The mountain is a good place to start as any.” Tsuna stated as he went out of the mountain path to roam deep into the forest. Kyouya didn’t protest and just followed the teenager as he pleased, after all, he was well-versed to these things than him, despite seeing the spirits himself. It was the only reason why Tsuna keeps him as his company, that and the fact that they were childhood friends. He knew exactly where they were going, and Kyouya understood why Tsuna brought him with.

It took them five minutes of seemingly aimless walking before Tsuna stopped at a large oak tree. What set it apart from the other trees was the fact that there were wilted bouquets of flowers and faded messages on the foot of it, indicating one thing: it was the final resting place of Tomonaga Miyuki, and from the looks of it, no one has visited the tree for a long time.

**_I can’t find her…_ **

Both Tsuna and Kyouya were startled at a small voice, making them turn to each other to confirm what they had heard. One look from each other confirmed their suspicions. “Where is it coming from?” Tsuna wondered. He didn’t feel any danger coming around, which was strange as he was usually good at sensing danger a mile away. This doll must be possessed or something for him to not anticipate the presence.

**_I must find her._ **

**_She’s going to hurt her!_ **

Kyouya turned to his right, where he felt a small gust of wind from something moving. “Towards here!” Kyouya told him before he led Tsuna to the south of the tree, where they were going down from the mountain.

**_She’s going to kill her!_ **

**_I promised I’ll protect her!_ **

**_I promised Fuyumi-chan!_ **

“The doll. It’s the doll!” Tsuna concluded as they followed it. “Fuyu is an heirloom Fuyumi-san gave to Miyuki-chan when she was born.” He told Kyouya. “She’s been going around the mountain looking for Miyuki-chan!”

The other grunted as he tried to trace where the doll had gone to next. “That is one fast doll.” He said as he stopped on a clearing, having lost the trace a second later.

“A doll with a consciousness tends to do that.” Tsuna stated. Clearly the doll was not going to make it easy to be found. It eluded Fuyumi when she tried to look for her, after all. If there was anything Tsuna needed to do, it was to find the doll and subdue her by gentle means. Violent capture was not going to work if Fuyu had garnered enough negative emotions from the thought of never fulfilling a promise that she made to Miyuki’s mother.

**_Miyuki-chan, where are you?_ **

**_Did you leave me behind?_ **

**_What about that lady your daddy wanted to marry?_ **

This time, it was Tsuna who felt the presence of the doll go to the east. He told this to Kyouya and followed him to where the doll will lead them to next. Wherever the doll is going, Kyouya was not going to like it. They were running deeper into the woods and farther still from the mountain path that they were supposed to follow to get back down on the mountain. “She’s getting louder.” Tsuna muttered.

“Then we’re getting closer.” Kyouya concluded.

**_Is she still chasing you?_ **

**_Where are you?_ **

Tsuna was about to say something else when he felt something was wrong as they were jogging to where the doll is. “Wait a minute, she’s louder than the last…” it was then when his eyes widened in realization. Dreading something, Tsuna turned his head to his right and as he had anticipated, there was really something beside him. One look made him scream in shock as he looked at the muddy face of Fuyu, the doll who they were looking for, her face morphed in anger.

**_WHO ARE YOU?!_ **

“HIEE!” Tsuna screamed, shocking Kyouya as well and flinched when he too, saw Fuyu following their run.

Then in an instant, Tsuna tripped on his feet and fell with Kyouya, sending them tumbling down on the mountain as Fuyu looked at them from above until they lost sight of the doll when they descended lower into the mountain.

…

Despite wanting to respect Tsuna’s boundaries by not asking any questions, Reborn still found it curious that he suddenly wanted to go somewhere alone for an ‘errand’ from his employer.

It was in the morning when he had told them that he would be gone for most of the day because of something that his employer wanted him to look into. There was the sense that the teenager would be doing something way beyond his expectations, which prompted Reborn to drag Mitsu out around town just to create a situation where the two would run into Tsuna.

That was why he made Mitsu run all around town as an endurance test, despite a lot of protests from his student. Now all they had to do was to wait until they spot Tsuna wherever he had gone to. He had mentioned to his mother that he was running an errand for his boss, but the nature of the errand, Nana didn’t bother to ask. It would seem that she puts a lot of trust in her eldest that he would not endanger himself while he was on his own.

He was ready to give up when he prodded Mitsu to run a few miles at Namimori Mountain before calling it a day. After all, he needed the stamina, as the boy was still passing out after going out of Hyper Dying Will Mode.

“Hey, Reborn, how long are we going to do this just to have the chance to run into Nii-san?” Mitsu finally asked after thirty minutes of running in the mountain.

Reborn’s eyes glinted as he sat atop Mitsu, “So you’ve caught on.”

“Why are we doing this?” Mitsu was feeling a bit guilty for trying to ‘accidentally’ meet up with his brother, but it did make him curious as to why Reborn seemed interested in his older twin.

“The information that was provided to me was outdated. I interviewed him yesterday, but I’m still not satisfied. If I cannot find out certain questions from Tsuna’s lips, then I’ll figure it out by catching him on the act.” Reborn replied.

That made the younger man worried, “Do you think he’s doing something dangerous?” he would be worried if that was the case. There were things that Mitsu didn’t want to think of, and one of them was his brother in a dangerous situation than him. His brother-complex would not allow it.

“Most probably, but I doubt it’s more dangerous than the mafia.” Reborn assured him.

Mitsu was about to reply when they heard something coming from up at the mountains coming towards them. It was the sound of rustling leaves and heavy objects rolling down the earth. The teen stopped to assess the situation, but a few seconds later, all he could see were two masses of heavy figures colliding with him, making him fall on the ground with a loud thud.

**TBC**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, I updated quicker than I anticipated! 
> 
> I was supposed to get started on the next chapter of Sweet Serendipity when I was drawn into this fanfic instead. I should have waited for a week and a half, but I couldn’t help it. Certain personal things came up and I just had to write to get rid of things for a while. Technically, this was one of the reasons why I started writing. XD
> 
> So~ as I said before, this will not take more than five chapters, but I think it won’t reach five though. I’ll have to see where this goes and how it will come along. What did you think of this chapter? Of course, I couldn’t resist roping Kyouya in on this. It would seem impossible for him not to know since it’s Tsuna after all. 
> 
> It’s 2AM on a Saturday at my timezone right now, so I need to catch on some Zs after posting this.
> 
> See you next chapter~!
> 
> -Cathy Rin


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Mitsu grunted as he tried to get up and to make the two heavy lumps off of his back. Had he been a normal teenager, he would have broken his bones by now, but thanks to the sadistic Spartan, that was not the case. He tried to turn his upper body to see what has fallen on him, only for him to be shocked at the sight of his brother and the Disciplinary Committee Chairman getting off of him while groaning in pain.

“N-Nii-san?! Hibari-san?!” Mitsu exclaimed, not minding the pain on his back as the two got off of him the moment they realized they toppled over a human being.

“Tsunayoshi, are you alright?” Kyouya asked with concern while wincing in pain and clutching his head that had collided with Tsuna when they fell down.

“This is why I don’t like my job description half the time!” he heard Tsuna groan. “Some of them are really rude on the first meeting.” When Tsuna focused his sight, he immediately saw his little brother who was sitting up while holding his back in pain. “Eh? Mitsu! Why are you here?!”

“I could ask the same to the two of you.” Mitsu replied. “I’m on a run here with Reborn. What are you doing here? And what happened to the two of you?”

Instead of an answer, he was greeted with a glare from Kyouya the moment he stood up and got his bearings back. Mitsu had always feared the Disciplinary Committee Chairman for obvious reasons. No one would dare go against him—that was just plain stupid.

Tsuna, sensing his brother’s fear, chastised the prefect. “Kyouya. We don’t have time for this. We need to get back up there.” He grumbled as he stood up.

“What are the two of you doing?” Mitsu asked as he stood up as well.

Tsuna hesitated to tell Mitsu, as it was really something that he didn’t want his brother to be involved in, but he has no choice in the matter, as it seems. “We’re looking for something here. We were caught off-guard earlier, hence the falling on you thing.” He said with a small laugh, wishing that it would be fine to assure his brother that there was nothing dangerous going on. He thinks.

At that moment, Reborn appeared back on Mitsu’s head. “We could help you if you want.” The baby offered. “We were almost done with his run anyway.”

This was a problem that Tsuna was going to have to deal with. He was aware that the mafia also tangled with the supernatural, namely the Trinisette, but Watanuki had told him that he should stay out of their way if those objects were involved while he can, as they possessed ancient power that even Watanuki could only watch out for. But this was different. They were dealing with an object that had acquired a consciousness of its own due to the negative force and emotion embedded within it, and he was afraid that if Mitsu is exposed, he would be as nosey as the hitman when looking for answers.

Therein lies the problem. He has no choice.

Sighing in defeat, he relented. He just hopes he could censor most of the stuff happening right now. “We’re looking for a doll that got lost here in the mountains. It’s related to my work, so I can’t tell much.”

“Because of confidentiality.” Mitsu figured.

“Not really. It’s because it’s a sensitive topic for you.” Tsuna corrected and then turned to Hibari, “How far had we fallen?”

Hibari looked back at where they came from. “We started halfway at the mountain. I’d say a few hundred meters from here.”

“Good. We’ll break out on a run and return to the resting place then.” Tsuna concluded as he turned to Mitsu, “Mitsu, I’d advise you to turn back and head on home. This is something I need to do as Watanuki-san’s employee. I hope you understand,” he said and the two older teenagers left Mitsu alone with Reborn.

For the part of Mitsu, as he watched his brother and the prefect run back to where they came from, he was miffed that he was asked to simply turn a blind eye on what his brother was doing and to just follow his instructions. Tsuna and bossiness were two things that are never in the same sentence, except now when he is shielding him from something that he could not ignore at the moment. For god’s sakes, whatever it is that they were following made him and Hibari fall from the mountain who knows how high! That would send alarm bells to anyone who knew them.

Puffing his cheeks, he shouted, “I’m not just going to turn a blind eye on this Nii-san!” but by the time he had said that, Tsuna and Hibari were already meters away where they couldn’t hear him. Huffing and sighing in defeat, Mitsu turned his back to walk down the mountain.

Reborn raised an inquisitive brow at him, “You’re not going to follow him?”

Mitsu looked back at Reborn, “If Nii-san says so, then all I have to do is to follow.” He grumbled. “Besides, you haven’t seen Nii-san upset when his instruction is disobeyed.” He shivered at that, “Not really a good thing to do.” Too much suffering on his end has occurred the last time he had upset Tsuna. He ended up not having a bento made by him for a week until he apologized for disobeying him back when they were nine.

“You’re whipped.” Reborn said as he jumped back onto Mitsu’s head. “Are you sure you want to go back home?”

“I’m sure.” Mitsu stated. “Besides, Nii-san could call me if he needs me. There’s no reason for me to interfere with his work, curious or not.”

“You’re a very obedient younger brother, aren’t you?” Reborn praised. But before Mitsu could revel in his compliment, he continued, “You have a very serious brother-complex added with extra absolute obedience.”

At that, Mitsu glared back at Reborn, “Can it!”

It was no question that he got hit on the head hard by a green mallet afterwards.

…

When they got back to Miyuki’s tree, there was no longer a trace of Fuyu’s presence. There was only quiet and loneliness. The last emotions of the young girl who died leaning on a fifty year-old tree. Tsuna knew that mountains were more than it seemed.

“This is turning into a headache.” Kyouya commented as he looked around the perimeter in case the rag doll decided to do another jumpscare on them and make them tumble another hundred meters from above the mountain. He really hated doing this, but for his childhood friend, he would do it. Very few would know, but for Kyouya, those who have garnered his respect would earn his in return. For that, his actions, however harsh they may be, were in service of them. The only ones who had garnered that merit were his cousin Kusakabe and Tsunayoshi.

Tsuna chuckled, “One of the perks of being an employee of the shop, I suppose. There’s no easy legwork.” He said. “We may not be able to find Fuyu with our own eyes, but maybe the tree can.”

He learned that all mountains were sacred, with or without shrines on them, with or without people living on it, for the mountains are the homes of the spirits who were driven away when Japan had begun to expand their territories through the advancement of technology. Sometimes Tsuna blames it on Japan opening its doors to foreigners after their three hundred-year seclusion, but that was just too much. He blamed it on the people who had forgotten them.

Watanuki had often chided him on that subject and being a bit judgmental and controversial in his opinions, saying that humans cannot help but to forget certain things in the course of time. There were things that are meant to be forgotten, secrets not meant to be discovered at the current times, and most of the time, secrets humans and spirits alike carried to their grave. He knew that when Yuuko had died, she carried with her many secrets that she never shared to anyone, and that was one of the aspects that made her human. That made all of them human.

So what secrets does the tree had hidden with Miyuki?

Tsuna held the tree trunk as he tried to get a trace of wherever Fuyu might have gone. If she knew that this was where Miyuki breathed her last breath, then that would mean the doll would come here more often to wait if Miyuki would ever find her and bring her back. Closing his eyes, he tried to sense the energy flowing within the old tree, sorting through the energies of nature and the spirits that lived on the mountain for centuries.

If Fuyu has never left the mountain for the past five years, then he would sense her in just a short amount of time. He needed to concentrate on what Fuyu is: a doll who is yearning to be with her owner, a doll who has been lonely for the past five years.

**_Does Miyuki-chan still want me…?_ **

At that instant, Tsuna saw the doll’s location. It was staring at a pond somewhere in the mountains, her hair, dress and shoes all chalked up in dirt, her black eyes, though blank, looked lonely inside. What made her beautiful when she was still taken care of now looked like she had been abandoned for a long time, as if she has been harshly cast aside by her owner, doomed to be left in the mountains for eternity.

**_Or did she leave me behind forever…?_ **

From the reflection of the water, Tsuna saw that the pond was in a very familiar place. It was a pond where a very familiar variety of flower grows. Severing his connection with the tree gently, Tsuna turned to Kyouya, “I know where she is.” He declared as the teenager was alerted that he was done with his search. “She’s at the pond at the grove where there were a lot of hydrangeas.”

“That’s located at the grove near the summit of the mountain.” Kyouya looked from above them, “From here, if we break out into a run, we would reach the grove in half an hour. If we take our time and walk, an hour.” Kyouya estimated.

“Do you think we’ll make it there, or will Fuyu meet us on the way, I wonder?” Tsuna hummed as he prepared to proceed to the next destination.

“Only one way to find out.” Kyouya said as he started to walk towards the top of the mountain.

…

“Tell me something,” Kyouya said after walking in silence for ten minutes. Tsuna hummed in reply, asking him to go on, “Why didn’t you let your brother help? I know that despite your confidentiality, you could have asked him to help you out.”

Tsuna smiled. “So you figured it out?”

“I’m not stupid. You could have told him without revealing what you and your employee really do.” He stated. “Besides, he could use it to gain more backbone.”

“How was Mitsu while I was gone?” Tsuna asked, quite curious.

A look of annoyance marred Kyouya’s face, “The school had broken the record for the most times of being repaired in the course of six months.” He stated. “Had he not been paying for the repairs as compensation, I would have bitten him to death. Painfully.” He stated. “The year had not been going well on my part, but it seems your brother has made acquaintances with the Sasagawa siblings, Yamamoto Takeshi, and that transfer student Gokudera Hayato.”

Tsuna sighed at the information that has been told to him. “And I would guess that the reason for your hospitalization due to severe injuries were due to the things that were tangled up with Mitsu.” It wasn’t really a guess, as far as Kyouya was concerned. Tsuna was saying the fact. Indeed, he would never forget the phone call he received from Tsuna berating him of his carelessness on jumping into every battle he pleases.

“I cannot deny that one.” Kyouya replied. “You haven’t answered my initial question,” he pointed out.

Huffing at the failure to avert their conversation from that subject, Tsuna pouted in defeat as he complied. “I don’t want him to get himself into trouble with this. The mafia is already enough for him, don’t you think?” he answered, “Besides, with Reborn in his tail, I know for myself that he would do anything to unearth whatever it is the others and I are hiding from their backs. I don’t want to risk it.”

“And the risks are high considering that the baby has an objective that is similar to six other people, and if they find out the nature of your work, they would attempt to do something that will have grievous consequences.” Kyouya stated.

“Exactly.” Tsuna nodded in confirmation. “That’s why I want them to stay out of my business. Mitsu’s impeccable obedience in my instructions assures me that he won’t stick his nose into this unless it was necessary.” He then looked at Kyouya, “Of course, you’re an exception. I do need a protector while I’m here.”

Kyouya rolled his eyes, “Why am I saddled with protecting you again?”

Tsuna smiled innocently, “Because I’m too adorable to be allowed to be swallowed by giant mean spirits.”

“Don’t push it.” Kyouya glared.

“Ahaha, sorry.” Tsuna backed off. There was no reason to warrant getting hit by his metal tonfas if he could help it.

The time passed by with more silence as they were halfway to the grove where Fuyu was last sensed by Tsuna. It was a long shot, but they really have nothing more to work on. If Fuyu really did develop a conscience, it would mean that it was filled with negative emotions that could warrant it to hurt others. So far throughout the course of five years, no one has reported any sightings of a doll giving misfortunes to those near its vicinity. But for how long will that be possible? There was no telling.

**_Who are you…?_ **

Both Kyouya and Tsuna stopped upon hearing the voice of Fuyu again. This time, the voice was now sourced from in front of them. There on the ground, was the rag doll Fuyu standing, looking at them with her blank eyes.

**_Why are you two following me?!_ **

Fuyu looked a bit angry, in Tsuna’s opinion, but that was the least of his problems. He needed to make sure that the doll would not do anything to harm them, if it could. A doll that has become sentient for some reason or another was tricky. You would never know what might tick them off.

“Fuyu, is it?” Tsuna said as he tried to approach the doll. “Your owner is looking for you.”

One thing that Tsuna forgot about what to do when dealing with a case like Fuyu: never approach her suddenly.

**_Stay away from me!_ **

Fuyu shouted as she began to float in the air, alerting Tsuna and Kyouya that this was a temperamental doll they were dealing with. This was bad. “Fuyu, we’re here because Fuyumi-san wants you back,” Tsuna said as he tried once more to reason with the doll.

**_Where’s Miyuki-chan?_ **

Taking note that she ignored the fact that Fuyumi is looking for her, Tsuna pressed on. “Fuyu…Miyuki is no longer here…”

And that was the moment when the doll lost it.

The wind grew stronger into Tsuna’s and Kyouya’s direction, aiming to push them back by the strength of the wind alone.

**_LIAR!_ **

The wind grew stronger and leaves began to fly to their faces, the two having no choice but to cover their faces from the onslaught of leaves and the wind. When it subsided, Fuyu was gone. Not a second later, it started to rain.

Both Kyouya and Tsuna cursed. They were back to square one.

…

Mitsu almost reached the bottom of the mountain when it started to rain. He cursed his luck. He remembered that it tended to rain in Namimori Mountain, but he was thankful that he had reached a waiting post where he could sit down and wait for the rain to let out. Thankfully, he came prepared as he brought with himself a towel, but not more than that, aside from his wallet.

“Ah, why does it have to rain when we’re almost down the mountain?” he complained.

“Nature is quirky in their ways.” Reborn replied as he too, was drying himself up with the use of Leon who transformed into a heater.

Mitsu simply sighted and decided to amuse himself by looking into the view of the trees when something caught his eye. He squinted his eyes to take a closer look where he could swear he saw a red figure hidden in the trees, as if they were looking at his exact direction.

“What’s the matter?” Reborn wondered, sensing the alarm of his student.

Shaking his head, he looked at Reborn who was sitting on the bench, “I thought I saw a red figure hiding in the trees just now…”

“Having second thoughts?” the hitman asked him, indicating about Tsuna.

“I _am_ worried about him, but whatever he says goes unless something happens.” Mitsu explained to him. Reborn might not be rather pleased that Mitsu would follow whatever Tsuna says without question, but it proves how strong the bond the two have, trusting each other enough to not ask any questions when prompted to do so the first time without any meddling.

That’s where the problem lies. Reborn was worried that if Mitsu was this obedient to Tsuna, then that would mean that he has some power over him that none of them could ever compete with. Tsuna could simply tell Mitsu to leave the mafia and he might even do so without question. That was one of the fears that even Don Timoteo needed to be aware of. Tsuna was an unknown variable, and therefore, dangerous in their eyes in more ways than one.

“Ah, when will the rain stop? Isn’t it enough that we tend to get monsoons?” Mitsu complained loudly after being bored with just staring at the trees.

As soon as he said those words, he came face to face with a folded umbrella with an angry voice of a girl, **_“You fool!”_**

Reborn was alert the moment he heard the voice of the girl and when the umbrella collided with his student’s face. He looked at the girl with a frown. She was looking to be about eighteen years old or younger, her vibrant red hair was in pigtails and was complimented by her blue Gothic Lolita style dress. Her blue umbrella with lace that was used to hit Mitsu was now open, shielding herself from the rain.

Mitsu glared at the rude girl, “Hey! What was that for?!”

“Foolish human. How dare you complain about the rain? And I thought Tsunayoshi’s little brother was more respectful of nature as he is!” the girl huffed as she pointed her chin up, looking down on the boy. “Honestly, when people complain about the constant heat, they ask for rain, and when they get it, they want it gone. This is why I hate humans like you.”

“ _Excuse you_ , who are you? And how do you know my brother?” Mitsu demanded, not really pleased that he was hit by a frilly umbrella. “And how did you get here without being noticed?” Instead of answering, the girl merely huffed in his direction, as if he was an insect that needed to be dead. The boy found himself frowning, “Look, if you want to get out of the rain, there’s still space here.”

For some reason, that ticked her off. “Get out of there.” She ordered him instead.

“What?”

“I said, get out of there. If you want to help Tsunayoshi, you will do as I say.” She demanded.

At this point, Mitsu was close to losing his temper. “What makes you think I would just blindly follow you?”

“You blindly follow your brother.” The girl shot back.

“For good reason! I don’t even know you and yet you’re ordering me around!”

The girl once more glared at him, “If you want to keep following Tsunayoshi, then I suggest you get out of there and reach him. That boy wouldn’t last much longer even with a strong repellent with him.”

From looking at her, she didn’t seem like she was lying, but Mitsu could tell that her worry towards her brother was sincere, despite not knowing if she really did know Tsuna. “How do I know you’re not lying?”

The girl simply said one thing, “Watanuki.”

…

_“Ah, I see you’re having a hard time.”_ Tsuna could swear that Watanuki was amused despite trying to hide it. _“I did ask Shizuka to tell you that this might be a bit too tricky.”_

Tsuna sighed as he and Kyouya continued towards their goal of reaching the grove with Kyouya holding up the umbrella for the both of them. “Fuyu has somehow become a being with a consciousness due to the energy of the mountain and the negative feelings that she had garnered from Miyuki before she died. She’s using nature against us for some reason.”

Watanuki was silent on the other line for a while before humming. _“I might have a theory, but you will have to find a way on your own. It’s strange that Fuyu is acting on her own all these years. Something must have given her consciousness. The energy from Namimori Mountain is just a minor cause, even the emotions that Miyuki-chan might have channelled to her.”_

“So you’re saying that there’s a third party?” Tsuna wondered.

_“Most likely. Just focus on retrieving Fuyu. I don’t want you in danger because you pursued that third party, do you hear me?”_ Watanuki advised.

“Understood. I’ll call you again when things progress.” Tsuna stated as he hung up.

“Not much of an information.” Kyouya stated as he looked at his troubled expression.

Shrugging, Tsuna looked forward, “It’s my job to look for it. Calling Watanuki-san is merely updating him on what’s happening and giving advice. There’s no point in asking him straight up.”

“You and your employer have some weird rules going on.” Kyouya stated.

“Well, that’s one of the things I got used to since working for him.” Tsuna stated.

“How long are you going to have to work for him?” Kyouya dared ask.

Tsuna smiled slightly, “Well, who knows?”

But Kyouya was not buying the vague answer. “Why?”

“Well…” Tsuna hesitated for a while, “Working for Watanuki-san is only a portion of my purpose in working at the shop. From the moment I started working at eleven, I know what I have to do to pay off the debt.” He hinted.

“Let me guess,” Kyouya said when Tsuna looked back at him with knowing eyes, “If I ask you any further, it would only make my head hurt.”

Chuckling, Tsuna nodded, “You know me so well.”

“Better you than Sawada Yoshimitsu.” He muttered.

“You know, if you want my advice, then I suggest you take the offer that has been given to you by Reborn,” As fast as he could, Kyouya snapped his head to look towards Tsuna’s form, eyes now demanding answers on how he knew that the baby hitman had offered him a place in the mafia family of his younger brother. Tsuna found it amusing, “I have my ways in finding out.” He simply stated.

Grunting, Kyouya replied, “As expected from you.”

“A talent of mine, I guess.” Tsuna then dared peer at Kyouya, “So, are you going to accept the offer?”

“We’ll see.” He stated. “But for now, let’s not ignore our guest that has been eyeing you since we got to the mountain, shall we?” he said as he handed Tsuna the umbrella handle and took out his tonfas.

Tsuna sighed. He really hated confrontations like this, but it was unavoidable. “Fine. Go crazy.” He said as he reached into his pant pocket and handed him some paper seals that he plastered on Kyouya’s tonfas before he left the safety of the umbrella.

Tsuna watched as Kyouya decimated those who dared even think of harming Tsuna, all the while, the said teen was humming as he tried to seal off the screaming and wailing of the spirits who were foolish enough to attack Kyouya and him. Looking at the seals on the inner part of the umbrella, Tsuna mumbled to himself, “Even the basic concealing seals aren’t enough to mask our scents…” he then looked at where Kyouya disappeared to and sighed when he heard something crashing to the trees. “Looks like Watanuki-san’s theory is correct. Someone powerful is hiding in this mountain…”

**TBC**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And cut~! I was supposed to work on Sweet Serendipity, but the pull on this one was stronger. XD
> 
> I do feel like I’m rushing into this, but this had to be done. I did say I wanted it to be five chapters or less, so...
> 
> Who could guess the identity of the girl Mitsu met? If you watched xxxHolic, then you’d know the answer~! 
> 
> As for the matter of how Tsuna ended up working for Watanuki in the first place, well, it will all be answered in due time. 
> 
> See you next chapter~!
> 
> -Cathy Rin


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

As they had predicted, there were spirits who were following them by a large margin. Large and small spirits rallied towards Kyouya as they tried to make their way to Tsuna. He didn’t particularly like crowding, and the spirits were doing him a favour in angering him more by going at him in groups. Tsuna knew that when he’s done, he would be satisfied and smug about driving away the spirits from his killing aura alone.

Humming a tune, he looked up at the sky. It was still raining. Though it’s not really a rare occurrence, rain in the mountain was somewhat refreshing for Tsuna. Maybe that was why Ame Warashi has some sort of leniency towards him, having encountered her more times than he could count. Watanuki seemed to respect the girl. Mokona, Maru and Moro had let it slip that back when Watanuki was still an errand boy to Yuuko, he would be subjected to Ame Warashi’s slightly rude attitude and had once been at the receiving end of her frilly umbrella.

The rain did a lot of things to calm Tsuna down, and for good reason. Tsuna loved the rain. He would always dance in the rain while on his raincoat and boots, be it at the park or just at the front porch, he would hum and dance as if the rain was the best thing in the world that nature has to offer. Mitsu found it rather worrying as children. He was always a bit cautious of the rain, saying that it was depressing and couldn’t go outside to play ball and causing colds. If Tsuna is asked, he would say that the rain would only be a minor cause for colds. If you don’t dry up and take a warm bath after soaking in the rain, then that’s how you get colds.

Another pro with rain was that it lessens the flurry of disasters in the Imonoyama Shopping District. Every single time he goes there, chaos was always abound. He was mostly annoyed that every time those disasters happen, his favourite bakery was closed.

Of course, with pros comes the cons.

Sometimes, the rain would be a hindrance to his legwork, especially when it comes to grocery shopping for either Watanuki or for their Culinary Research Club at Clamp Gakuen. His underclassman, Ijuuin Akira, often complained that the rain ruins their plans to have outdoor activities, especially when their activities involve the different types of outdoor barbecue that ranged from all types of meat. Somehow, most of his club members are too sombre when it rains, which results in Tsuna having a hard time cheering them up.

It was also rain that kept Imonoyama Nakoru grounded in the office doing paperwork. It was a good thing for Takamura Suoh, but it wasn’t a good thing for someone like the sometimes irresponsible high school president when he gets bored. Being his classmate since sixth grade, he understands the attitude of the heir that it made him surprised that Takamura was still not reaching his wit’s end. The same goes for the planning of festivals, in which Tsuna is the head of the Festival Planning Committee and coordinates with them where he would always have to be in contact with Imonoyama and would sometimes be jilted for the sake of amusing himself or being ‘called by damsels in distress.’ Everyone reasoned that he was the only one in the class who could keep up with the antics of Imonoyama, thus, electing him without any further protests, but Tsuna could feel his sanity dwindling.

Takamura was always driven mad by it and for good reason, and Akira…well, he would try his best to be the bright spot of the problem (aka Imonoyama). The only reprieve he gets from everything was during summer vacation when he always makes sure to leave the plans a week before he leaves and entrusts the said plans to Takamura. Unless there was an impulsive festival instigated by the Chairwoman, he was out of contact.

“Making me remember my responsibilities when I get back is troublesome…” Tsuna muttered to himself. Sure, Watanuki was giving him a lot of leeway in regards to doing jobs for him (Watanuki always said that he has it easy since Yuuko treated Watanuki like a slave back in the day), but the responsibilities that were sometimes brought to him brings him to tears. Watanuki assures him that it was fine to do these kinds of things since he wouldn’t be forever be in the school and that enjoying it would be best. He does enjoy them, especially if they were a spectacular success.

Tsuna concludes most of the time that Watanuki was half right. The other half was not since he would always have massive headaches and sleepless nights in the dorms.

He was about to chastise himself from thinking about work during his vacation when he felt something root him in place. There was an undeniable energy that somehow glued Tsuna on his spot. The first thing he felt was fear, then came worry about what had happened to Kyouya. Turning his head up, his eyes widened as the umbrella started being burned away along with the umbrella, leaving only the frame. Grunting in annoyance, Tsuna threw the frame away as he felt his body slowly being unable to move from his feet to his torso. He didn’t care if the rain was instantly soaking his clothes. There was more dangerous matter he had to deal with.

“You should stop struggling you know.” A young girl’s voice said from right behind Tsuna. “Your friend is still engaged with the other spirits. You’re as good as alone.”

Tsuna found that the only thing he could move now was his upper body. Turning a bit, he followed the source of the voice to a girl in white kimono, her dark black hair let loose and black dead fish-eyes were staring at him in contempt. “Who are you? Why are you restraining me?”

“You’re causing my master too much trouble.” She replied.

“I don’t mean any harm. My friend and I are just looking for Fuyu, the doll that has been roaming the mountains for the past five years.” He reasoned.

“Why?” the girl asked again.

Tsuna was quickly losing feeling his limbs. That itself was a bad sign. He didn’t know what to do first, talk some reason to the girl or find a way out of the spell that she might have casted on him when he wasn’t looking.

“What makes you think I will believe anything you say?” she demanded him.

As soon as she spoke, Tsuna felt himself being dragged to the ground until he came face to face with it in mere seconds, his body giving up trying to resist the girl’s hold on him. “What I’m saying is true. All I need in this mountain is to retrieve Fuyu. I don’t mean anyone else in this mountain harm.”

The girl simply scoffed as she approached him. “I will be the judge of that.” She declared and knelt down facing Tsuna and reached out to his forehead.

In an instant, Tsuna felt his mind being invaded by the girl. The feeling of being opened and violated in his mind causing him a bit of a headache as she rummaged through his memories. He was fine with that, until she stumbled upon a memory that he didn’t want anyone to know, ever.

The girl knew that too, as he felt her gasp as she saw the memory that caught her attention.

**_Tsuna was seven and alone on the swings of the park, bruises were on his arms and legs._ **

**_He didn’t want to go home to his Mom and little brother and see him this way. The bullies were extra mean to him today, and Tsuna didn’t understand why he was chosen to be picked on of all kids. The bullies prevented him from ever making any friends, from ever having a good day without bruises being added to his aching body. He wanted to fight back, but he knew for himself that if he did, it wouldn’t change a thing. He knew how bullies think. If their target decides to fight back, they would spin lies to the other kids and the adults that could make him at fault from ever defending himself._ **

**_He didn’t want to be labeled a liar. He hated liars and cheaters. He hated people like his father who lies to his mother about his work despite keeping up appearances. He didn’t have any proof that his father was more than just a construction worker, but he knew that he was lying to his mother._ **

**_The wind blew a bit stronger as the sun started to set. Tsuna found it impossible to just stay in the park forever, knowing that his mom and Mitsu would come looking for him as soon as the clock struck six in the evening._ **

**_Getting off the swing set, Tsuna set forth towards home._ **

**_But before he could take a step out of the park, he was immediately stopped by three burly men in black suits. They were wearing shades, but Tsuna could tell that they were foreigners. As soon as they spotted him, they started speaking in a language that he didn’t understand, but there was one word that Tsuna did comprehend. They spoke his father’s name, Iemitsu._ **

**_His inner voice then warned him that they were very dangerous people. The moment he had the chance, he ran towards the other direction of the park. As expected, the men pursued him, screaming in Italian, but Tsuna knew that they were telling him to stop. Like he was going to listen to them. He knew that he would be in danger the moment they get their hands on him._ **

**_They were going to harm him, Tsuna knew for sure._ **

**_But before he could get far, he tripped on his own feet and the next thing he knew, he was picked up by his bag singlehandedly as the other two looked at him with scowls on their faces._ **

**_“Who…who are you…?” Tsuna dared ask._ **

**_The three men merely laughed and talked to him in Italian, but he could tell that they were belittling him. He looked at them with a confused but scared face. He looked at the two men in front of him until one of them spoke broken Japanese._ **

**_“You’re the future boss? What a joke.” The man on his right joked._ **

**_The other one beside him scoffed. “Sorry kid, but we’re under orders.”_ **

**_“O-Orders…?” Tsuna asked once again, his lips quivering, all the while, willing himself not to cry._ **

**_The man smiled sinisterly, “Yes. You need to die.”_ **

**_As soon as he said that, Tsuna saw a flash of silver headed towards him, and the next thing he knew, he was screaming in pain. Daring to look down, he saw that a knife embedded itself on him, blood rapidly oozing from the deep stab. Promptly, he was dropped down like hot coal on the ground, crying at the pain that came from the wound that was now on the brink of seeping his life force. He knew he was dying._ **

**_He screamed in pain as the men laughed at his misfortune._ **

**_He cried for his mother and Mitsu, who might never see him alive again._ **

**_His vision was slowly fading, but as it did, he saw the three men being taken down by a familiar man._ **

**_“Tsuna! Can you hear me?”_ **

**_Tsuna recognized the voice. “Tsu…yoshi…san…” he managed to speak._ **

**_“Tsuna, please stay awake for me!” Tsuyoshi pleaded._ **

**_But Tsuna didn’t want to listen. He wanted to sleep._ **

**_And sleep he did._ **

**_He didn’t know how long he was asleep, but when he opened his eyes, it was to see a beautiful woman with long black hair and piercing red eyes, stroking his head softly. “Now everything has changed…” she heard him say as he was once again taken by a dreamless sleep._ **

The girl jolted back as she retreated from his mind, fear and shock evident in her eyes. Tsuna looked at her with annoyance, a powerful orange aura resonated through him as his eyes became bright amber and glared at her, “I don’t like people rummaging in my mind.” He growled.

“You…” the girl muttered. “You’re actually…!”

Before she could say any more, a powerful gust of wind and rain went against her, making her back away from Tsuna a few feet.

“Step away from Tsunayoshi, you little sprite.” An arrogant girl’s voice commanded.

The young girl stared in shock as she looked at where the girl came from. “You’re…”

Tsuna, feeling that the spell pinning him on the ground lifting, got up to also look at the direction where the young girl was looking. His eyes widened as he saw the mass of red hair, “Ame Warashi-san!” he addressed.

At the recognition, the young girl quickly fled into the trees as fast as she could. Tsuna and Ame Warashi didn’t go after her, knowing that she would not harm him a second time. Standing up and brushing off enough mud on his clothes, he looked at Ame Warashi in thanks, “Thank you Ame Warashi-san, but…what are you doing here?”

Ame Warashi huffed and adjusted her umbrella on her shoulder. “I’ve matters to attend here in Namimori Mountain. As I passed by, I sensed your presence.” She reasoned.

“Ah. So it’s inevitable to be saved by you from that spirit.” Tsuna mused.

“Also, I took it upon myself to get some help for you, since I know you would not survive here with only that delinquent repellent with you.” Ame Warashi stated.

Tsuna was about to ask who she asked for help with when he heard Kyouya growl a few meters away from where the two were. “What exactly are you doing back here Sawada Yoshimitsu?” he demanded.

“You didn’t…” Tsuna said while looking at her.

“Oh I did.”

Tsuna simply sighed in defeat as he went on to find where Kyouya is.

When he got there, it was to the scene where Kyouya was simply glaring at Mitsu while the said younger teen was putting his hands up in mock surrender while his tutor was on the tree nearby, looking at the scene from above.

“I will give you ten seconds to leave this mountain Sawada, or so help me…” Kyouya started to threaten.

“Kyouya that would be enough.” Tsuna said as he made his presence known alongside Ame Warashi.

Mitsu stared at Tsuna, looking at him with a pleading look to save him when he spotted the other person beside him. “I didn’t disobey on purpose! That lady brought me here, saying you’re in trouble!” he defended, pointing at Ame Warashi who looked at him unimpressed.

Tsuna looked at Ame Warashi, then to Mitsu and took a glance at Reborn. Ultimately, he sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, an incoming headache going. “Ame Warashi-san, of all people, why my little brother?”

The rain sprite huffed as she explained, “Apart from you and the delinquent, he and his baby companion are the only humans in the mountain. Who else should I choose?”

“That’s true.” Tsuna said. “Would you mind if I ask what you intend to do here in the mountain?”

“That is something I cannot tell you. There are people present that shouldn’t hear it.” Ame Warashi said matter of fact.

Getting her point, Tsuna hummed in understanding and looked back at Mitsu. “Well then…this changes everything.”

Mitsu, who has been feeling left out since the beginning of everything, shook his head and looked directly at his older brother, “Nii-san, what _exactly_ is going on?”

“Just tell me something first,” Tsuna said, “Do you see anything here in the mountains when you go here for training and such?” he asked and looked up at Reborn, “Because based on what you do here during school days, you seem to be here more often than any normal person.”

Tilting his head to the side, Mitsu tried to recall how many times he has been in the mountain since he had been here. “Well, there was one time when Reborn bombarded me and my friends to participate in a Death Mountain training in the southern part. Other than that, I’ve only been running halfway since it tends to get rainy further up.”

Ame Warashi suddenly sent a glare at the hitman baby’s direction. “ _Death Mountain Training?!_ ” she said with a stern voice that sent everyone in the vicinity shivering, even Reborn to some extent. She then took a glance at Tsuna, “This is one of the reasons why I despise most humans!” she growled. “They have no regard for nature!”

“Now, calm down Ame Warashi-san,” Tsuna tried to placate.

Kyouya scoffed, “You really shouldn’t defend the baby and your brother when it comes to this, Tsunayoshi. She has every right as a nature spirit.” Kyouya said, siding with Ame Warashi.

“Not helping, Kyouya,”

At that, Mitsu held his hand up, “HOLD UP!” he shouted, catching their attention, “What in the world is going on here!? Spirits? Rain sprites? Care to explain?”

The woods grew silent until all they could hear was the downpour of the rain. Tsuna shrugged, “While I make up the words to explain, we should get to some shade until the rain stops. My umbrella was burned away earlier and I can’t see you guys properly in the rain.” He decided.

Eventually, Reborn became generous enough to turn Leon into a large tent so that they could at least get out of the rain for a while. It would do them no good if they soak in the rain for longer than an hour lest they risk getting colds.

Ame Warashi, however, looked up at the green tent and poked one of the poles with her hand, testing its sturdiness. “Interesting for a chameleon to do this is very impressive.” Ame Warashi looked at the baby who was currently on the head of his student. “Where did you find him?”

Reborn replied vaguely, “In between my travels. He latched on to me and it’s been like that ever since.” The hitman was wary of everything that has been happening for the past two hours. It was strange and at the same time, he didn’t feel like his head was going to explode…yet. There are things that Tsuna and his companions were not telling them, but he knew that Tsuna would tell them if it was necessary or if Mitsu pried enough to badger him for answers—at least, that’s what he wishes.

“Well then, I must be leaving.” Ame Warashi said as she opened her umbrella again.

Tsuna nodded. “Thank you for helping me with the sprite earlier,” Tsuna thanked her.

“No need. Now that your brother is here to assist you with brute force, I can go on my way.” The girl reasoned as she turned to leave, “Give my regards to Watanuki when you get back in a few weeks, will you?”

“Will do.”

And with that, Ame Warashi left them as she treaded the forest alone.

“Will that girl be alright on her own?” Mitsu wondered worriedly.

Tsuna chuckled, “It would take an entire army of spirits for Ame Warashi-san to be harmed. She’ll be alright.” He assured him.

“Well, Tsuna, we now have some shade. Care to tell us what is going on?” Reborn said, now looking at Tsuna who sat on the roots of the tree where they situated Leon the tent.

Tsuna sighed, knowing that there was no way out of this. “A few hours after I left for Namimori from Tokyo, my employer received a request. It’s for us to retrieve a rag doll that got lost here in the mountains five years ago when its owner died in a tree here.” Tsuna said. “You should have seen a tree that has a lot of wilted bouquets on its foot, right?”

Reborn nodded. “While planning out the training, I did come across that kind of tree. I found it good to just leave it be and so I put the training ground somewhere else.”

“The owner of the doll we’re looking for is the one who died in that tree five years ago. Now her mother asked us to find and retrieve the doll for her.” Tsuna continued. “What we didn’t anticipate is for Fuyu, that’s the doll, to be difficult to find.”

“What’s preventing you from finding it?” Mitsu dared ask.

Tsuna sighed, “The doll has been given a consciousness. In other words, the doll came to life.”

“W-What?” Mitsu shivered at the thought. “You mean the doll is alive?!”

“With the spiritual energy from the mountain and the feelings that her previous owner has unknowingly imbued in the doll, it can happen. What I need is for Fuyu to see reason. She needs to know that her owner is dead now…” Tsuna explained. “I know this is all confusing for you right now Mitsu, but Ame Warashi-san brought you here for a reason. Can you at least please not pry into this any further? The deeper you get into my affairs, the bigger the threat is to you.” He confessed. “You’re already burdened by the mafia world, I don’t want you burdened by mine as well.”

There were a lot of things that Mitsu is not aware of, and even more when it comes to the world that he and his brother live in. From the moment Tsuna had become an employee of Watanuki Kimihiro and when Mitsu accepted his fate of becoming the Vongola Decimo, he knew that the paths and world that they live in will be very different from each other. Despite that, it didn’t mean that both need to know about what is happening in their respective paths. Tsuna had ingrained it in his mind early on. Wanting to find out certain information has its price, and sometimes, they can be something that they could not afford. Tsuna hinted that much.

With a sigh, Mitsu nodded. “Alright. What do we have to do?”

…

“When I asked him what I had to do, of all things, why this?” Mitsu complained as he hit another yokai with a large branch covered in paper seals.

Tsuna had given him the weapon after the rain stopped. He merely picked up the big branch that had fallen from a nearby tree during Kyouya’s previous brawl with the spirits and stuck it with paper seals so that it would be capable of exorcising the spirits that came to them.

Now as he hit another spirit with weird shapes and many eyes, he watched as they either crumbled into dust or merely disappeared in smoke.

“Less complaints, more attacks, herbivore.” Kyouya commanded as he swung his tonfas to several of the spirits, sending them to wherever they came from. If there was anything that Tsuna taught them, they were hard to kill but easy to get rid of. That was the limit of what his seals could do.

Meanwhile, Reborn was also doing the same, Tsuna having given him a thinner piece of wood to go with. Normally, a teenager giving him such a thing would warrant an eternal hit on the head, but with Tsuna and the circumstances that they were currently facing, he had to oblige. After all, he had questions to Tsuna that needed answers, vague or not. The only way for that to happen is if he helps him get through whatever it is he is aiming for.

…

Tsuna reached the grove where there was an abundance of hydrangeas. Sure, he left the others near the entrance when the spirits started to stop him from doing so, but he had no other choice. Fuyu’s sanctuary was here, and this was the only place in the mountain were there was a strong spiritual energy that somehow sent waves of power and protectiveness throughout the area.

At the center of the grove was a small lake, where true enough, Fuyu was there, sitting and looking at her appearance once more.

Taking another step forward, he caught the attention of the doll.

**_Why are you here? Why do you keep looking for me?_ **

Fuyu’s voice rang throughout the area. Tsuna took another step. “I’m here to take you back.” He said honestly. “Fuyumi-san is looking for you.”

**_Fuyumi-chan is…?_ **

But the doll then hesitated.

**_Then…Miyuki-chan doesn’t want me anymore…?_ **

Tsuna shook his head. “No. It’s not that…it’s just…Miyuki-chan is no longer here. She’s dead.”

**_NO! Why should I believe you?_ **

A strong gust of wind came from Fuyu once again, her face morphing into anger.

Tsuna covered his face with his arms while making sure that he was still keeping watch of Fuyu.

“Fuyu, please, you saw the tree where Miyuki-chan died at. There were flowers in her memory. The tree itself saw how Miyuki-chan died. She was alone, and she was looking for you. She breathed her last breath wanting to hold you. Please Fuyu…” he pleaded once more.

As he spoke those words, the wind grew weaker until Tsuna could take his arms off in front of his face. There Fuyu stood still, murmuring.

**_Miyuki-chan…she…_ **

**_I remember now…_ **

Fuyu muttered. Tsuna found it safe to approach her again, and this time, Fuyu let him.

**_She was…screaming my name…asking me where I am…_ **

**_That woman…hurt her very much that she was crying…and I couldn’t do anything…!_ **

**_She was all alone. I watched as Miyuki-chan died…_ **

Fuyu then started crying. Tsuna reached her at that time and reached out to her with his hand, “Fuyu…it’s not your fault that Miyuki-chan is dead. You know that.” He stated. “Miyuki-chan was happy that she had you. Don’t blame yourself for her death. I’m sure Fuyumi-san would say the same if I asked her.”

**_Fuyumi-chan…where is she…?_ **

“She’s back in her home, praying for you to return to her so that she could be with you again.” Tsuna assured the doll. “You and Fuyumi-san already lost Miyuki-chan, would you really want Fuyumi-san to lose the chance to be with you again, after all these years?”

**_You will take me to her? To Fuyumi-chan?_ **

“Yes. I promise you that.” Tsuna replied.

**_Then…take me to her._ **

Fuyu reached out to Tsuna as she rested her fabric hand to him. For a second, Fuyu glowed white and not a moment later, the doll went limp, as if it had been lifeless from the start.

“I promise you will reach Fuyumi-san, Fuyu,” he muttered.

“I’m glad that Fuyu found peace.”

Tsuna was startled as she heard a man’s voice. He turned to his right to see a man in an elaborate kimono, his long black hair tied in a low ponytail. “Um…who are you…?”

The man smiled as he approached Tsuna. The young man didn’t sense any danger from him, which assured Tsuna that he was not going to harm him in any way. “Fuyu has been sad all these years, looking for her owner. One of my servants made a mistake of giving her a consciousness, never realizing that negative feelings have been injected into the doll before its owner died. For that, I take responsibility.”

Tsuna’s eyes widened, “You…your servant did…?” he said as he realized that this person might be the ‘third party’ that Watanuki was talking about.

“That’s right.” The man said.

“May I know your name?”

“Names are powerful things, young man,” he chuckled, “But you can call me Morinami.”

“Mori…nami…eh? Nami…mori…! You’re the mountain god Morinami-kami-sama!” Tsuna concluded, shocked that he got to meet Namimori Mountain’s and the town’s patron god.

The man, Morinami, chuckled in amusement at the young man’s realization. He then looked at the entrance of the grove, “You should head out now, young assistant. By the time you reach your companions, the spirits would be gone.” He said, “I apologize, but they are a bit uptight about those who can see us reaching me. They fear that I might be endangered by them.”

“Is the little girl who I met halfway here also one of your servants?” Tsuna wondered.

“I apologize for her brash action, but rest assured, she’s already feeling at least a bit remorseful.”

_‘Especially after she invaded my memories…’_ Tsuna thought to himself. “Then…Fuyu and I will be leaving now. It was a pleasure to meet you face-to-face, Morinami-kami-sama.” Tsuna bowed at the mountain god for the last time before leaving the grove.

Morinami stared at the young man who exited the grove, a gentle smile on his face.

“I see you’ve already met Tsunayoshi.” Ame Warashi appeared from the lake and landed on the ground the moment Tsuna disappeared from sight.

“You were listening?” Morniami inquired. “That’s a bit rare for someone like you, Ame Warashi.”

The rain sprite frowned and huffed. “What can I say, that young man is interesting.”

“Indeed. The young man has a lot of potential. He would become a fine man one day.” Morinami commented as he waved his hand on the lake and showed Tsuna with the rest of his companions leaving the mountain. “But I fear for his future.”

“You sound so sure that he would not make it past his teen years.” Ame Warashi stated, looking at the mountain god suspiciously.

Morniami frowned at her accusation, “I didn’t say that. I only mean that there are things in his future that might not be pleasant, even for him.” He said. “Before you rescued him from my servant, she saw through his memories. She caught the memory of his most painful past.”

Ame Warashi raised a brow, “How do you know?”

Brandishing a fatherly smile, he replied, “I know every single one of the children born and raised here in Namimori. I’m their patron god after all. I saw young Tsunayoshi as he grew up…and as he nearly completely crossed the bridge.”

“Completely…then…!” Ame Warashi was at a loss for words.

“But it seems that a mother’s love is so strong that it can transcend a lot of boundaries, if reached in time.” Morinami concluded, “And so I do wish that Tsunayoshi will make the choice as he sees fit, for I know most of all that he is not the one to make decisions he will regret.”

“Only one way to find out then.” Ame Warashi said, gathering her bearings back upon realizing what Morinami meant.

 Morinami waved his hand again to dispel the view of Tsuna in the lake. “The price that he needed to pay in exchange for the wish of his mother, Nana…Tsunayoshi has already realized it, and had accepted it, even though Yuuko’s successor is not yet aware of such a thing.” He murmured.

**TBC**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we have it! I noticed while I was writing that it took a bit longer than my usual chapters which is 4k words below, but that’s fine! I’ve always been inconsistent with my word count per chapter, but I make it a point for it not to drop from 3k words per chapter since rebooting my brain in writing. 
> 
> I couldn’t resist slipping in Duklyon references and the Clamp School Detectives Trio since they’ve been my favourite boys since I was ten. I admit, I did crush on Nokoru in my younger years. If you think the three boys have no involvement with supernatural things…well. You haven’t read X/1999. I made Tsuna involve himself with the trio because I really love the idea of him interacting with Nokoru and having a headache in dealing with him alongside Suoh. 
> 
> I think Watanuki, having had his younger years lonely, wanted to push Tsuna to involve himself with the school activities as much as he can. After all, he’s only young once. I think that is also the reason why he enrolled Tsuna to Clamp Gakuen and his exceptional cooking skills made up for his clumsiness. Over the years of being in that school and being exposed to Nokoru, Suoh and Akira, he outgrew it and brought him to his current position. 
> 
> So…this fic will end next chapter, so I hope that you look forward to it~!
> 
> -Cathy Rin


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

“Oh my!” Nana gasped as she saw the state of the boys when they got home from wherever they came from. “You’re all soaking wet and dirty! Come here and dry up.” She said as she immediately handed them towels from the nearby cupboard, “I’ll prepare the bath for the four of you. Kyouya-kun, you’re staying until you’re clean, and I don’t want to hear a ‘no’ out of you,” she said, going into full mother mode.

“That would be agreeable, Nana-san,” Kyouya didn’t have the heart to refuse her and proceeded to dry himself with the towel that was presented to him by the Sawada matriarch. He learned long ago that one must not refuse their mother, especially when they’re fretting over your well-being. He took a glance at Tsuna to see that he had placed the rag doll he has been holding like a child on the counter of the shoe cupboard in a sitting position before drying himself up.

He knew that the doll has lost its consciousness the moment it found peace in Tsuna’s promise to bring her back to her original owner, but he was still wary of the doll. He had experienced tumbling down a mountain and fighting spirits soaking in the rain in the span of a day, which made it very eventful. He wonders if Tsuna has had this kind of experience every time there was a job to be done back in Tokyo.

Mitsu too, looked at Tsuna worriedly, but he knew that whatever had happened in the mountain was now over. He said so, and there was no more reason to doubt his older brother with that.

By the time all of them were dried and changed clothes, Kyouya fled the Sawada residence back to his house. He excused that there was no more reason for him to stay now that Tsuna was safely back home. Nana accepted it, but not before giving him a snack on the way.

Tsuna had approached his mother with the muddy and dirty Fuyu, asking her to clean up the doll for him as he mended the worn-out clothes of the doll. Their mother didn’t ask any more questions when Tsuna said that the doll was involved in his job and just proceeded to do what her son asked with understanding. It would seem that their mother knew something about Tsuna’s supernatural ties, but Mitsu wouldn’t dare voice it out, in fear of it sounding accusatory.

Mitsu asked him why he asked their mother to bathe it, and the response he got was rather convincing and strange. “The doll is a girl, so it’s only natural that Mom bathes her.”

And yet, Mitsu could not feel assured at all that the strange things about his brother was done. It was too much of a wait if Tsuna would wait until the summer vacation was over for him to send over the doll, so how will he do it?

When he asked him that, Tsuna merely gave him a smile that says he _shouldn’t_ know. Mitsu knew better than to protest.

…

That night, after Fuyu had been groomed by Tsuna and their mother, Mitsu found the time to spend some quiet moments with his brother, lounging at the porch as they looked at the stars. The events of the day was still fresh in Mitsu’s mind, surprised that there was a whole other world apart from his life in the mafia. There was no other way to describe it than eye-opening. He had to remind himself that in Japan, minor gods and spirits still roams the land, and one would be a fool as to deny their existence.

“Nii-san,” Mitsu called him in the middle of their stargazing.

“Hm?” Tsuna responded, indicating him to go on.

“About the doll…what happens to her now?” he dared ask.

Tsuna smiled slightly as he looked up still, “Well, Fuyu will be returned to the original owner, Fuyumi-san, and Watanuki will ask for the payment from her wish.” He explained.

“What kind of price?” Mitsu dared ask.

That question somehow made Tsuna silent for a while. Mitsu thought he stepped on a landmine, but when he looked at his brother, thinking face on, he knew that he was measuring the price of the retrieval of the doll. He guessed that the price would be high, considering what they had to go through just to get the doll.

“Not higher, nor lower than the value of the wish…” Tsuna responded. “Whatever the price is, everything must be equal for the sake of balance.”

Groaning, Mitsu looked back up at the sky, “You’re saying those words again Nii-san. You could just tell me you can’t say.”

“Now you’re learning.” Tsuna chuckled with a teasing voice. “Well, whatever the price, Fuyumi-san will be alright in the end. After all, it was a wish made out of a mother’s love, and mothers sacrifice almost anything for the sake of their child.”

“But the child in question is already dead though.” Mitsu stated.

Tsuna shook his head, “That doesn’t mean that a mother should stop loving him or her even if they had already passed on.” He reasoned. “She considers Fuyu as the last connection she will ever have with Miyuki-chan, and for her to move on, knowing that there was a reminder that she once had a daughter that she loved very much, she needed Fuyu back.” he explained.

“Mother’s love…huh?” Mitsu said while taking a glance at their mother who was currently tidying up in the kitchen after dinner. “Do you think that Mom’s love saved you that day eight years ago?”

Tsuna smiled genuinely as he looked also at the direction of their mother, all happy and absolutely content with what she’s doing. “A mother’s love knows no bounds when it comes to her children. They wish only for the betterment of their children and would do anything to see them safe and happy. You must know that, considering that Mom nearly killed Iemitsu when she found out he was in the mafia and slated you to become the next boss of a mafia family our ancestor created.” He said as the two went back to stargazing.

At the reminder, Mitsu groaned. “Don’t remind me…” he sighed. “The whole mafia things still confuses me most of the time even if I’m already integrated in their society. What’s more, we’re in the middle of an heir crisis.”

“Timoteo-san’s son against you.” Tsuna recalled their video conversation a few weeks back when Mitsu announced that he would not be returning to Italy this summer due to him not seeing eye-to-eye with Xanxus, the last living son of the current boss. “You’ll be fine if you just listen to Reborn-san’s teachings, you know.”

Mitsu sighed, “I know that, but sometimes I think…there’s more to it than they tell me.”

“Then follow your intuition.” Tsuna simply instructed. “We’ve always had very powerful intuitions, and based on past experiences, it has never led me astray before, and it’s not going to start now.”

“But what about the other ones involved?” Mitsu asked.

“They can all burn in hell for all I care.” Tsuna stated gruffly, and Mitsu was reminded that tolerant Tsuna may be of the mafia world, he still despises most of them since those numbers would target his little brother when they time comes. “Whenever you feel troubled, just be assured that your intuition and the bond you have with your friends will guide you on the way. After all, you’re the future Vongola Decimo, set to be one of the most influential people in the mafia world.”

Hearing his statement, Mitsu cringe, “Now you’re just scaring me.”

“One of my big brother privileges, I guess.” Tsuna said, “But seeing you as a mafia boss with a tobacco on your mouth and looking sinister…” Tsuna said as the two of them pictured Mitsu.

The two burst into laughter as they thought of Mitsu becoming a scary mafia boss. For now, they would consider it as a small joke, because, honestly, they’re still teenagers.

They will take everything one step at a time, as they were taught to do.

…

The day after Tsuna had brought Fuyu home, Tsuna was now standing at the full-length mirror in his room and looked into it. On the four corners of his room were paper seals that muffles the sound of the inside from the outside. “Show me Watanuki Kimihiro.” He ordered.

The mirror rippled and Tsuna immediately made out the receiving room. But his brow furrowed as the couch on the room showed that there was more than one person lying down on it. Realization dawned on him, but before he could look away, the damage was already done as he saw Watanuki and Doumeki in a _very_ _intimate_ position with Watanuki’s kimono almost completely off him while Doumeki was a bit ruffled in his shirt and pants but still mostly clothed.

It took him three seconds to respond to the scene before him, and when he did…

“HIE!!” Tsuna screeched as he turned around in panic, a blush creeping into his cheeks.

It took fifteen seconds of bumping, cursing, shuffling, and clacking from the other side of the mirror before he heard the slightly hoarse voice of Watanuki. “You can look now Tsuna.”

It was not an unusual thing for the two of them to be intimate, but Tsuna tends to walk in on them at times, which was traumatizing each and every time. Walking in on them during a communication like this? Even worse since he got a close-up. This is one of the major downsides of his job description, as far as Tsuna can tell.

When he turned around, Tsuna looked at his employer with an exasperated look, “Watanuki-san, at least have the decency to do it solely in the bedroom…” he chided. “This mirror’s only place to contact you is the receiving room.”

Watanuki laughed sheepishly at his comment.

“So, how did it go?” Doumeki asked, direct to the point as always, but he could see a bit of annoyance in his voice. Probably from being interrupted by Tsuna _again_.

Tsuna faked coughing as he gathered his wits about him and tried to put the scene he just witnessed at the back of his mind for a certain time. Preferably forever. “I managed to retrieve Fuyu. She’s currently here at my desk.” Tsuna said as he moved the mirror to face his desk so that the two adults could see the doll. He then turned it back to its original position, “It turns out the one who gave her the consciousness a servant of Morinami-kami-sama.” Tsuna stated.

“I see.” Watanuki said. “Then, send Fuyu here via the mirror. I’ll call Fuyumi-san in the morning for her to retrieve the doll.” Upon saying those words, Watanuki immediately saw the shift in his employee’s face. “Tsuna, if you want to say something, I suggest you say it now,” he advised gently.

Facing his employer, Tsuna asked Watanuki the question he had been thinking about since receiving Doumeki’s call. “Fuyumi-san’s payment…what is it?” he wondered.

Watanuki was silent for a while before he sighed, “Why don’t you guess the price? I’m sure with six years of being under me, you would realize the price of this wish.” He told him.

Tsuna thought for a while as he assessed the wish of Fuyumi. She wanted the doll to be retrieved so that she could move on from the death of her child who owned the doll. Fuyu was a doll that was originally Fuyumi’s, and she wanted the doll back as it was the only significant reminder she had of her beloved daughter. It could only mean one thing. “Fuyumi-san’s specific memories of Miyuki-chan.”

“Full marks.” Watanuki confirmed. “And what is your reasoning for the conclusion?”

“Fuyumi-san wants the doll back in order to have some sort of closure to the death of Miyuki, but a mother cannot simply forget her own child. Even with the doll, it would be hard for her to move on. By taking her memories of her daughter as a price, she would move on without any more pain holding her back. Fuyu will just be a reminder of her daughter. She would remember that she once had a daughter named Miyuki, but she will never be able to recall what she does, what she looks like, and all of her precious memories about her. Without any specific memory, she would then be able to move on without fail…” Tsuna explained.

Watanuki nodded. “Now you’re beginning to understand the prices of the wishes our customers make. You’re learning fast, Tsuna.” He praised.

“Thank you Watanuki-san,” he said.

“If only the same goes with your math grades…” Doumeki stated blankly.

Tsuna flinched. Math has always been a challenge to get a perfect score at. True, he gets decent 85’s, but it never goes higher than that. Despite the tutoring that has been done to him by Doumeki and his classmates in Clamp Gakuen, there were still things that he cannot break out of, namely math grades.

“Shizuka.” The other man chided.

“Then…should I send Fuyu now?” he asked, averting his comment.

Watanuki nodded. “When you’re ready.”

Tsuna then went to his desk and picked Fuyu up like he would a young child. “Well then, Fuyu, let’s get you to Fuyumi-san. She would be thrilled to have you back,” he whispered as he sent Fuyu through the mirror, a magical seal appearing before it absorbed Fuyu and into Watanuki’s arms.

“Isn’t she precious up close?” Watanuki said, holding it for Doumeki to see. He then turned back to Tsuna, “Don’t worry, this will reach Fuyumi-san first thing in the morning. Good job, and I’m sorry if I interrupted your vacation.”

Tsuna smiled and shook his head, “No, that’s alright. I got to see our patron god in return. I’d say it’s all in a day’s work.”

Watanuki chuckled. “Very well. Oh, before I forget, remember, always be careful of flies, especially the baby variety.” he said before the mirror connection was cut.

Tsuna sighed as he waved the mirror, cutting the magic on it for the meantime and went to open the French doors to his small balcony and gazed at the stars. “You know, it’s not nice to eavesdrop on one’s conversation, Reborn-san.”

A rustling of leaves on the trees and a soft hopping noise was heard by Tsuna as Reborn landed on the railing of his balcony. “You have very keen senses.” He said. “I didn’t hear anything, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Tsuna shook his head, “I knew you wouldn’t hear us. I made sure of that.” He replied calmly. “But I know that you saw how I communicated with Watanuki-san.”

“The first part of your contact was a little traumatizing though.” Reborn commented.

At his statement, Tsuna sighed in exasperation. “Those two couldn’t keep their hands to themselves once they deem that no one else is in the room, but if one comes in the middle of them doing it, well…I’m surprised the customers hadn’t walked in on them yet. For now, I’m the only victim.” He perched his head on his hand as his arm was on the railing. “Five years ago, they wouldn’t have acted on their feelings. It took me six months to get them to admit they really care for each other in more than just friends—or annoying errand man, in Watanuki-san’s words.”

“You don’t seem surprised that they are both men.” Reborn stated.

Tsuna smiled brightly, “Love is love, Reborn. Whether you are a man, woman, spirit, or whatever, when you fall in love, that’s it. I’ve seen a lot of people fall in love in my circle, especially in a school such as mine.” He reasoned. “When you see and experience it, you will understand.”

Reborn was silent for a while, as if contemplating what Tsuna had said. “Tsuna, about what happened yesterday…”

“Reborn, you know that there are things that I cannot say. Every answer has a price.” Tsuna warned with a small frown. “For example, you have a friend who has been keeping secrets from you, and you ask someone else for information and you find out that he was doing something for your sake but with a method that you disapprove of greatly, your friendship, no matter how strong, will shatter. You can’t expect to still be friends with that person if you knew what he was doing, even if it was for your sake. The price of knowing that secret is your long-time friendship and the trust you two took years to build.”

“I get your reasoning.” Reborn agreed. “But what if I wish for it? That’s your shop’s purpose, isn’t it?”

Tsuna nodded. “But even then, there are wishes that are too expensive that the wish maker cannot pay.” Tsuna said, “Take your Curse, for example.” Reborn’s eyes sharpened at his statement. “Don’t look at me like that. I’ve been in the business for six years. I know what goes on, but I don’t know the exact details. You can’t admit that you were willing to take on that form just to protect an item of great power, right?” he said as he pointed at the yellow pacifier wrapped around Reborn’s neck.

A smirk graced Reborn’s face, “You’re pretty perceptive, and you seem to know more than you let on.”

“An advantage as an employee of wish-granting shop.” Tsuna mused. “I hope you know that some of your questions cannot be answered without a price, Reborn-san. Even then, the answers that you seek is something only meant for the ears of someone who can afford them. As you are now, you cannot afford such a wish, even if all eight of you are willing to pay it, it’s still not enough.”

The sharp warning of Tsuna made Reborn realize that indeed, he was right. All of the members of the Arcobaleno had been striving to look for the answer to relieve them from their curse, and were willing to pay any price to achieve it, which therein lies the problem. The word _anything_. Saying it would pin you down by complying with something you think is unreasonable, and if you do it, you would come to hate the decision you have made just to get a single thing from the shop. The price of knowing how to remove the Curse of the Rainbow was no simple thing. It will require something more than the lives of all eight of the turned Arcobaleno members.

Reborn scoffed in amusement, “I always did know I’ll die a dog’s death just for being a part of this curse. Knowing the answer is not worth it if you ask for it with a heavy price. I’d rather find out for myself what the method is, thank you.”

Tsuna smiled at the hitman, glad that he understood. “I’m glad that you finally think that way. Don’t worry. For you, everything will be alright in the end. I just know it.” Tsuna assured him. Reborn wanted to know how he could tell, but he knew not to ask. “Then, shall we head in? Mom’s almost done with dinner preparations and Mitsu might be looking for you.” He gestured the hitman to rest on his shoulder. Reborn took it without hesitation as they went back inside the house.

Mitsu would then wonder when, in the span of a few hours, did his brother and Reborn became close enough for Reborn to be comfortable on Tsuna’s shoulder.

…

As expected, Mitsu asked where the doll went a day after he realized that Fuyu was no longer in Tsuna’s room. Tsuna excused that he had met up with someone while he was out and sent Fuyu on her way to Tokyo to reunite with her original owner.

Mitsu seemed to buy it, and Tsuna was satisfied with that. Reborn as well, has stopped being nosey after their talk the previous evening, and everything concerning his work was laid to rest…for now.

Tsuna has received a message via Watanuki’s bird that Fuyu has been returned to Fuyumi safe and sound, and the price, as Tsuna expected, were the memories of Fuyumi of her first daughter, Miyuki. He felt a little sad that it was the price for Fuyumi to have Fuyu back, but in the end, Fuyumi agreed to the price, knowing well why she had to pay that kind of price. All in all, it was all in a day’s work.

To get rid of his thoughts about that particular job, Tsuna opted to test on his current food experiment, using crocodile meat without the test subjects knowing. He has always been fascinated with crocodile meat, and he had it shipped to Clamp Gakuen’s Culinary Research Club kitchens and then had it sent to the house for further testing. Since he was free from planning festivities until he returns to school, he decided that it was the best course of action.

His taste testers? Mitsu’s friends Yamamoto Takeshi, Sasagawa Ryohei, Kyoko, and Gokudera Hayato. He also asked Kyouya, despite the prefect hating crowding. No one could refuse Tsuna, not when there was a guarantee of wonderful food. After all, when there’s food, there’s a way.

He tried to incorporate all of the crocodile meat in his dishes, from gyoza to simple stir fry. He made them aware that the meat he was using was not normal, but still, they insisted that they wanted to see and taste his cooking. After all, he wasn’t the president of the club for nothing. He still hasn’t beaten Akira in the dessert department, but he was getting there. When it comes to being an all-rounder, no one could beat Tsuna. For now. After all, Ijuuin Akira was still learning, but Tsuna always liked a challenge.

As he stood there looking at their smiling faces as they ate his food, Tsuna remembered how it made him happy that they were enjoying everything he makes. It really lifts his spirit up every time that happens, and that made him glad that he took up cooking lessons with Watanuki back when he had just started. If there was one person he couldn’t beat in cooking, it would be his employer.

“This is crocodile, isn’t it?” Reborn suddenly spoke as he ate the last of his gyoza. The others stared at him in shock at his conclusion.

Tsuna smiled, “What gave it away?” he wondered.

“The meat tastes like chicken, but when I looked into the taste more, I had felt the meat to have reptilian origins.” Reborn reasoned.

The others looked at their food silently, and Tsuna thought that they were seconds in screaming in shock, but to his surprise, they simply ate away anyway.

“Wow~ I never thought crocodile meat would taste like this!” Yamamoto stated. “Do you think we can make a sushi out of this?”

“I don’t know how you plan to incorporate it with the sushi,” Tsuna started, “But I’d recommend not using adult crocodile meat, as they’re too tough to cook at that age. I used the meat of the baby crocodiles at least half my height, including the tail.” He advised.

“Neat!” Mitsu complimented as he took another bite of one of the dishes he laid out.

Gokudera looked at the meat as if it was the most wonderful thing in the world, “Your culinary skills are exceptional, Tsunayoshi-sama!” Tsuna flinched a bit at the honorific. He was not used to being called that unless it was his unwanted admirers, but since Mitsu explained that once Gokudera was set on his use of honorific to a certain person there was no stopping him, Tsuna relented as long as no one else gets the idea of using it.

“Tsuna-kun, your future wife will have a hard time competing with you in cooking!” Kyoko mused.

“This is EXTREMELY GOOD!” Ryohei agreed. “Sawada’s brother, you deserve a belt with this kind of cooking!”

Kyouya glared at Ryohei, “Sasagawa, there’s no need to shout it. Everyone knows Tsunayoshi is a good cook. Keep your voice down.”

Tsuna could only blush in delight and slight embarrassment at their compliments. He really should thank Watanuki for teaching him how to cook, and for Akira giving him the idea of using exotic ingredients. Sure it would make the soft-hearted Akira cry a river, but it was worth it in the end. He could already tell what he would say: _‘I didn’t think you would take it seriously! Tsuna-senpai, how could you?!’_ or somewhere along those lines.

Well~ as long as it made people happy with his cooking, he’ll deal with it when he gets back.

…

Nana smiled as she looked at her eldest son being flattered by their friends at the dining room. A sense of pride coursed through her, glad that her son was flourishing under Watanuki.

“It has been years…I’m glad I made the wish, but still…” Nana frowned a bit as she remembered the day she met Ichihara Yuuko ten years ago, when her son almost died of an assassination attempt. She could still remember how she saw her son in a bloody state and she was borderline catatonic, and stayed that way until her friend, Yamamoto Tsuyoshi, had told her to get herself up so that when Mitsu sees her, he would not be shaken and would be ignorant on how bad the attack had been as any child should be. Ichihara Yuuko had been around, and had all but said that there was a way to save the life of her son, but at a cost.

_“The price is your son.” She told Nana as they looked at Tsuna in the ICU, fighting for his life._

_Nana looked up at the tall woman, “You mean…you will take Tsu-kun away from me…?” she said, close to tears at the thought of never seeing her son again._

_To her relief, Yuuko shook her head, “Not in a way where you cannot see him again.” She explained. “When he is old enough, he will be under the guidance of my successor, learning and growing until the day that is to come.”_

_“The day that is to come…?” Nana repeated. “What…what day…?”_

_“A day when he realizes the other reason why I granted your wish. Whatever happens next will be up to him.” The woman held her hand on the window, as if trying to reach out to Tsuna. “You may not know it, but your son holds tremendous power, and such powers are invaluable. For a young man like him to die this early…will be a grave loss.” Yuuko explained. “The life he will have ahead will not be an easy one, but I’m sure with him, he will succeed.” She assured her, “But, there’s something else.”_

_“Another term in my wish?” Nana wondered._

_“Yes.” Yuuko confirmed. “This child…has a destiny that he has been bestowed upon in many of his lives. In different times and dimensions, he has made a name for himself that a mother will be proud to see, but in this world, his life is to end at this particular incident.” She explained._

_Nana didn’t get what she meant about different times and dimensions, but she was not a close-minded individual. She was from a line of Shinto priests, and she knew that a lot of creatures other than humans and animals walked among them on the earth. It wasn’t farfetched for such worlds to exist._

_All she knew was that her son in different worlds was destined for greatness, but her son right in front of her…was destined to die. “Why…? Why of all his versions of himself, is he destined to die in this one…?” she questioned the woman as she gazed at her son once more._

_“That, I cannot tell you.” Yuuko explained. “There is one other condition to this, should I grant your wish.”_

_Nana was almost scared to ask, but she had to. “What is it?”_

_Yuuko continued, “He may have different versions of himself, but his destiny in most worlds is only one. He is mostly destined to lead an entire organization in a dangerous world, in which he is to become their most powerful leader.” She revealed, “But here in our world, if I save him, he will have his set future taken away, the title, power, birth right and everything related to it. Your younger son, Yoshimitsu, will have to take what was rightfully Tsunayoshi’s. Now, I ask you this, shall I grant your wish?”_

The words that Yuuko uttered that day replayed itself in her mind. Nana didn’t need to think about anything else. She had known all along that the price for saving her son’s life was worth it if she would see him grow up as a man.

There was no doubt in her when she gave her a _“Yes”_ on her terms. It was either lose him, or change her children’s fates, and Nana chose the latter. Only Watanuki, her and probably Tsuna, knew of the wish that she had made, but she believed on one thing: even if his set future and everything that came with it was taken away, there was still a new path for Tsuna to follow, something that he would choose for himself freely, and not by other people.

Looking at her sons, she knew that the ‘set future’ that Yuuko had told her that should belong to Tsuna, had been passed down to the nearest worthy person: her youngest, Mitsu. That’s why she had never protested when her husband and Timoteo had chosen Mitsu instead of Tsuna as the one to be trained as the next Vongola Decimo, as much as she hated to push her son to the mafia world. This was the future that was supposed to be for Tsuna, but that possibility of a future nearly sent him to his death. In order to save his life, she had taken that future away from him. _‘Besides…’_ Nana thought to herself, _‘On the chance that I didn’t take Yuuko-san’s terms in my wish, the title would be passed to Mitsu anyway. Tsu-kun…if he can live happily and with no regrets until his time is done, then that’s fine with me.’_

It was clear as day that even if given the choice, Nana wouldn’t dare change a thing.

…

Watanuki blew his pipe once more as he stared at the sky. His mind turned to Tsuna and his growing abilities that are already on par with Watanuki’s power. A few more years down the road, and he would be in synch with the shop and would be capable of granting wishes. It had been slow, but the signs are there. His good relationship with most spirits (some of them powerful allies), his growing powers, and his perception on the weight of the prices of each wish of each customer that they have at their doorstep.

He wanted him to savor his childhood for just a bit longer, which was why he pulled strings to get him transferred to Clamp School after pulling a favour from the Chairwoman of Clamp Gakuen. The woman had made a wish to Yuuko once before to help her secure a weapon of mass power, and the payment has been put on hold for what was to come. Watanuki has met the woman once before, and she immediately took a liking to him simply because of his cooking, and when she met Tsuna, she took a liking to him as well.

But even school life has an end, and all Watanuki could see in Tsuna’s future was that he was tied to the shop for some reason.

Is that what Tsuna is supposed to do? To stay by Watanuki’s side and grant wishes until his time is up?

He guessed not. There was something else.

There were still things that he needed to figure out, mainly the reason why Yuuko had chosen the boy of all people, to be his helper. It was as if she knew of the choice that he made the day she died. There were things that he needed to know, but he knew that looking for an answer would be futile. All he could do was to wait for the day when Tsuna’s true purpose in the shop is revealed, and everything will hang onto both of their choices.

And thus, the wheel of fate keeps turning for one Sawada Tsunayoshi.

Unknowingly, Watanuki’s own fate was also on the move once again.

**END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew~! That’s a wrap for this AU! I’m glad you guys read through this until the end! For this final Author’s Note, I’d like to thank tsukuyomi67 for giving me the encouragement to publish this fanfic in the first place when I was contemplating on what kind of AU I’ll write about Tsuna after I finished Figure Skater Tsuna. You were a great help in my motivation~!
> 
> I intended for this fic to be an open ending as all my Many Verses of Tsuna fanfics. I have a lot more headcannons for this AU, but for this final chapter, I settled in making this, so that you guys will get the hints on why Tsuna was working for Watanuki. 
> 
> Oh, on the matter of crocodile meat, there’s actually a personal story behind that. 
> 
> Last September, I went on an educational tour on my fourth year of college to Palawan, Philippines and bought a frozen pack of Crocodile Sisig, a dish that needed to be cooked with egg, and it tastes good~! Though my middle sister didn’t like it, my youngest sister and I absolutely loved it. Yes, the meat used for that dish is baby crocodile meat, and the measurement of the baby crocodile is just a guesstimate since I based that on my height of 5’1 as I held one of them in the Crocodile Sanctuary, where I also got the dish. The reason is also true why they don’t use the adult crocodile’s meat. It was according to our tour guide at that time.
> 
> I enjoyed making this AU as I am currently reading my CLAMP favorites. One can’t help but look back into their childhood, and I still can’t believe that Sakura and Syaoran still makes me fluffy when they’re being shippy, Yukito and Touya as well! They were my first gay OTP before I even realized what it meant. Somehow, I think Clamp was the main cause that made me interested in the BL genre. 
> 
> Thank you for reading this until the end! See you in my next Many Verses of Tsuna!
> 
> -Cathy Rin

**Author's Note:**

> Yay~! I finally decided on doing a Shopkeeper Tsuna! This has been nagging me for months ever since I decided to re-immerse myself to some of the anime series that has had a great impact on my life, and xxxHolic was one of them. 
> 
> Currently, I’m re-watching The Prince of Tennis and I have every intention of watching the New Prince of Tennis after that, and the movies, and the OVAs, the manga, you get the idea. That’s why I haven’t been writing that much. 
> 
> Back to the fanfic, I still have no idea how long this will be, but I think it wouldn’t take more than four or five chapters.
> 
> For those who also read my fanfics in AO3, good news. I finally updated Sweet Serendipity again~! Motivation is hard for me to get these days, so I hope I could get to keep these motivations until the very end!
> 
> See you next chapter! 
> 
> -Cathy Rin


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